Love's Sacrifice
by Taytay123456
Summary: What if Snape saw Lily's daughter and not James Potter's son? Holly Potter, who has a fierce heart and burning desire to save those she loves. Severus, the darkly sacrificial man who has nothing but loyalty left to give. Or does he have more? The one he shouldn't love, does he save her from death or does she lead him to a fate worse than what he already has? AU. Begins Ootp.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** First and only lengthy AN. First: I adore this magical world so much so that I was worried writing a fanfiction story would tarnish the beauty of it. Nonetheless, I have written a story of my absolute favorite fictional character, Severus Snape. **This story is nearly completed, so do not worry that I won't finish it.**

 **Warning:** This has **Americanized dialogue.** Unfortunately, I find myself unable to properly master English dialogue without sounding ignorant. **I welcome criticism, but not blatant rudeness.**

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Holly Potter wasn't aware that she was dreaming until it was too late to force herself awake. _She was walking, but it was dark enough that she couldn't see any of her surroundings. She could feel the icy, wet fingers of grass trying to grasp her bare legs. In the ringing, suffocating silence she could just hear the sound of the ocean. Her breathing was shallow, but she could still smell a musty, rotten odor. Forcing herself not to gag, she clamped her hand over her mouth and kept walking. It was almost as if she was being forced to walk closer to the rotten smell. The further she went, the darker and colder it became. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck were standing up and her body broke out with gooseflesh._

 _She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her chest and her fingers shook as she heard a hissing sound in front of her. She dropped her hand from her mouth and clenched her fingers into fists. If she was going to die, she would try her hardest to maim whatever monster was making that wretched hissing sound. Then, she heard him. His voice was nearly impossible to describe. Pitched low, yet held an inhumane note to it. The hissing continued as he sneered, "Have you finally come to me, my dear? Where is your band of saviors? Where is that old man whom you claim to adore so much?"_

 _Holly felt sudden and acute relief to know that none of her friends, nor Dumbledore or Ron's parents were here. Not Sirius or Remus. Not even any of her teachers. Just her and Voldemort. As the relief ebbed away, hot anger was there to take its place. Holly opened her mouth and retorted loudly, "Professor Dumbledore is much more than an old man. He will defeat you. He's greater than you could ever be."_

 _A cackling, sinister filled the night air and somehow made it colder. Holly's heart hammered against her ribcage in a painful way as she desperately wished for her wand. Where was it? Why didn't she have it? What was she to do now? She squinted in an attempt to see the monster hidden within the darkness, but she saw nothing. Voldemort's sickening laugh trailed off as he asked, "Are you afraid, Potter?"_

 _"Not of you." She snarled as rage continued to fill her to the brink of madness. Her entire body shook as she took two steps forward. "Show yourself, coward! Fight me like a man! Stop playing around and fight!"_

 _Her screeching turned to inhuman noises of rage as she went crashing through the thick grass. This felt good. The anger, the coursing waves of feeling crashing through her was the best thing she had ever felt. Just as Holly saw the shadowed outline of Voldemort standing alongside the ocean side, a warm hand snuck from behind and wrapped around her waist. The person yanked her back several feet within the span of a single second. She struggled and snarled, "Let me go! Let go of me now!"_

 _The body was that of a male. She could not see his face, but she felt the tall length of his body and the subtle feel of wiry muscles underneath his robes. The man spoke an incantation, but Holly was too caught up in the sound of her own heartbeat and Voldemort's cold laughter to hear her rescuer's voice. There was a blinding blue-white light and then she was being yanked through the air, through time, through space. This feeling was closely related to the yanking feeling of a portkey, yet much worse. She landed roughly, but was cushioned by the man. Her vision was blurry for a moment before he came into view. His hands were running lightly over her arms as his familiar voice spoke in an unfamiliar tone._

 _"Are you okay?" He asked gently, "Do you have any injuries?"_

 _She laid her head upon his shoulder and felt the loud thumping of his heart. She murmured in a soft voice, "I'm okay now that I'm here with you, Severus."_

She woke with a sharp gasp as she bolted upward in bed. Cold sweat was running down her back as she flicked her long, sticky hair away from her face. A headache was slicing away at her brain, but all she could do was burry her face into her palms and rub pitifully at her forehead. Her scar was stinging, but that was nothing new to her. She had spent the last five weeks with constant nightmares followed by continuous headaches. A quiet hooting noise made her look up; she could see blurry outline of Hedwig sitting atop her cage.

After rooting around on her bedside table, she found her glasses and slipped them over the bridge of her small nose. Hedwig, her beautiful snowy owl, was perched in a dignified manner. Tied to her leg was a small piece of parchment. Excitement flared up inside of her as she tiptoed to Hedwig and carefully took the letter from the owl's leg. However, as soon as she opened it, her heart thudded in disappointment. The letter read: _Be ready. Love, Sirius._

Anger caused her to bite her lip to keep from screaming. She huffed, "Be ready for what, exactly? That's not a lot to go on."

She read the letter once more, shredded it, threw it aside, and flopped onto her bed. She was sweaty and irritable and downright embarrassed about her nightmare. Why was Snape, who loathed Holly Potter more than any other student in the entire castle, in her dream? Why did he save her? Where was Dumbledore or Sirius? Hermione and Ron? She could still feel the length of his body; feel the tenderness of his fingertips as they trailed across her arms.

Her cheeks burned with a searing blush as she watched the sunrise through her barred window. She wondered how that letter became attached to Hedwig's leg when there was no way for Hedwig to fly about. She had been, as all of the previous years, locked away in her cage. Holly had managed to pick the lock and allow Hedwig to mingle around her bedroom, but not once had she been allowed to send or retrieve letters.

Thinking of her lack of letters made hot anger course through her veins once again. _Why_ hadn't anybody contacted her since the summer holiday? She knew Voldemort was growing in power, despite her lack of evidence since the Triwizard Tournament, but that didn't mean powerful wizards such as Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius, or Mr. Weasley couldn't find ways to contact her besides owl postage. Hadn't she proved how valuable she was? Hadn't she proved she had what it took to duel against Voldemort? And, for some reason, if she hadn't proven herself, then why hadn't anybody told her so? Was she so easily forgotten? So easily tossed to the side? Why was she being left in the dark while Voldemort rose to power and continued to plot her death?

These were the same painful questions that had been festering beneath her skin for the last five weeks. Day and night, it never ended. It was a vicious cycle of abuse from the Dursleys, mind-numbing nightmares that left her sleepless and ear-splitting headaches that hardly ever faded. Once the sun rose, she listened to the sounds of the Dursleys waking. As she heard Uncle Vernon unlocking the dozens of locks on her door, she jumped up and shoved Hedwig into her cage. Uncle Vernon threw the door open, suspiciously cast his eyes around and then barked, "You have five minutes to shower and dress before you are to be downstairs, cooking breakfast."

Because Holly knew how the game went, she showered as quickly as possible and stumbled down the staircase. She cooked at a fast speed, but knew better than to undercook the fried eggs or burn the toast. After serving all three Dursleys the correct portion of breakfast, Holly began to wash dishes. When nobody was watching her, she snatched up a piece of toast and chewed quickly. After washing the dry food down with some water, she continued washing dishes.

Her day continued just as miserable and just as boring as every other day that she had spent in this hell. Everything irritated her. The heat. The sound of the television. Dudley snoring on the sofa. Aunt Petunia's flower beds. Her glasses, which continued to slip down her sweaty nose. She desperately wished she was old enough to use magic outside of Hogwarts. If that was the case, she would have turned Dudley into a pig, corrected her eyesight that way she would not be wearing her stupid glasses, and Apparate to Hogwarts so she could demand answers from Dumbledore.

A small gift, perhaps given by a merciful hand of fate, was that Holly no longer had to mow the lawn. For the last three weeks, there had been a shortage on the local water supply. This summer was welcoming a drought. It was a small gift not to have to mow the lawn in the beating heat, but that also meant Holly didn't get proper amounts of water when doing the chores outside. She had, from the earliest memory she could remember, drank from the water hose when finishing outside chores. The water spicket, no matter how much she tried, would produce no water. That's how she found herself gasping and shivering as the sun finally set.

She had spent all day in the heat: trimmed the hedges, planted seedlings, fertilized the flower beds, pulled weeds, rearranged the patio furniture, and scrubbed the sides of the house with a new chemical cleaner Aunt Petunia was fond of. As Holly forced her body under the showerhead, she decided she wasn't fond of Aunt Petunia's chemical cleaner at all. Suddenly, Uncle Vernon knocked loudly on the bathroom door and yelled, "Hurry up, girl!"

Holly rinsed her hair, shut the water off, and wrapped herself in a towel. Her fingertips were pink and raw from the cleaner. The back of her neck was sunburnt badly enough that it was in the process of blistering. She slipped her glasses off, tossed them on her bedside table and promptly fell asleep.

She dreamed of Voldemort again. He was killing innocent Muggles right in front of her. Maiming them. Taunting them. Murdering them. Holly struggled, trying to force herself to stop him. Then, Snape was there again. He was pulling her away from her enemy. Pulling her further and further away until she was safely under his arm.

The dream abruptly ended as she sat up and groaned. The pain in her head was horrid, but that was almost forgotten as she heard a familiar voice whispered, "Holly? Are you okay?"

She let out a high-pitched yelp and then another voice snarled, "I thought Sirius warned her to be ready? That we were coming?"

"Nobody told me anything." Holly retorted in a venomous voice as she blindly reached for her glasses. Hermione, who had been the first to speak, grabbed Holly's hand and murmured a quiet incantation. Holly's anger subsided for a moment as the world came into shocking clarity around her. She grabbed her glasses, shoved them into the pocket of her shorts, and glanced around. The terrifying Auror, Moody, was leaning against the wall while Mr. Weasley, Fred Weasley, and George Weasley smiled as if this were a perfectly normal occasion. "Why are you all here?"

Moody rolled his one good eye and roughly said, "Hurry and pack your bags."

Holly and Hermione quietly and quickly packed while Holly's mind ran with questions. Holly turned to Hermione a moment later and stated, "I can't believe you did a spell to enhance my eyesight while we were away from Hogwarts."

Hermione replied in a matter-of-fact voice, "We will be learning that very spell this year at school. Therefore, it would be on the list of spells we are allowed to practice over the holidays. I have begun studying for this year. You haven't, have you, Holly?"

Holly muttered irritably, "Been too busy being a slave."  
Hermione bit her lip as her brown eyes ran over Holly's face. She quietly admitted, "You do look tired."

"Alright," Moody said, "That's enough. Let's get going."

"Don't mind, Moody." Fred whispered as they all walked down the staircase, "He's been a bit worse than normal…because of You-Know-Who."  
Holly rolled her eyes and squeezed her wand as Moody opened the front door. He muttered underneath his breath, although Holly had no clue what he said, before Holly's prized possession came flying from inside the cupboard. It was Holly's Firebolt. Her heart soared in her chest, despite her exhaustion. She would be flying.

Moody and the Weasleys all called out an incantation Holly had never heard before. A moment passed where nothing happened. Then, quite suddenly, four brooms appeared in front of them. Each man mounted their broom while Holly frowned at Hermione. She asked, "Where's your broom?"

Hermione looked as if she might be sick at any moment. She mumbled, "I'm to ride with you, Moody said."  
Holly nodded and gestured with her chin. "Get on then."

Hermione was attached to Holly like a leech, but Holly didn't care. She went up immediately after a powerful kickoff, ignoring the scared squeak Hermione made. She followed closely to Moody as he gruffly barked orders at her. He snarled, "You stay by me, Potter! If Death Eaters show up, you stay by me!"

Fortunately, the ride passed with no Death Eaters. Holly's heart was pounding happily and she couldn't help the big grin that stretched across her face. The wind was blowing her messy hair around and she could see, from a glance at the Weasley twins, that they were enjoying flying just as much as she was. It ended all too soon as Holly watched Moody touch down in a shadowed Muggle park. Holly followed suite while Hermione whimpered.

The moment the Firebolt came to the ground, Hermione hopped off and drew her wand. Holly held her broom at her side while her right hand wielded her wand. Moody lead the group while the Weasleys and Hermione blocked Holly in a square formation. This irritated Holly quite a bit- she could care for herself and was not in need of protection- but she didn't say any of this out loud. They came to what looked like an ordinary Muggle apartment building. However, after several moments, the building split in two and revealed a black door. Holly's shocked face must have been comical because the Weasley brothers laughed quietly. _What was this place?_

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 **A/N:** Feel free to review. I will update every four or five days. Sooner, depending on the amount of feedback I receive.


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, Potter." Moody snarled in an annoyed voice, "I'm sure you're itching to see Sirius."

"Sirius lives here?" She asked quickly as Moody pulled her along.

"Yes." Moody replied curtly. He did a complex knocking pattern on the door before it opened. He shoved Holly inside and she stumbled before catching herself. The door slammed shut behind her as everyone piled inside. Moody gripped her by the elbow and began to drag her forward. Irritation rose sharply and Holly had to force herself not to reach up and smack Moody in the face for man-handling her.

They traveled down a long, narrow hallway. They made it halfway down the hallway before Holly saw Hermione and the twins dart up a staircase. They gave her sympathetic expressions, but Holly had no time to say a word to them before Moody threw a door open and tossed her inside. She whirled around with fury on her face, fully ready to take on the famous Auror without a thought to her own safety. But a joyful croak of her name stopped her from retaliating.

"Holly!" Sirius spoke in a rough, yet happily relieved tone. She whirled back around, barely noticing anybody else in the large room. With a massive grin on her face, she barreled forward on shaky legs and wrapped her arms around her godfather. She stuck her nose against his shoulder and breathed him in. His scent was familiar; slightly musty and wild.

He pulled back and held her at arm's length. His dark eyes were sad as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Better now." She replied quietly.

Sirius's eyes roamed across her face before his jaw tightened. His voice was dark as he asked, "What have those Muggles been doing to you?"

Holly blinked and mumbled, "Nothing unusual."

He pushed her messy hair aside before saying, "Dumbledore, I want Holly taken care of before we discuss anything tonight."

"Of course, Sirius. I would have it no other way." Holly heard the soft and familiar voice of her mentor. A moment passed before Dumbledore came into her view. He was wearing dark purple robes and his half-moon spectacles. He was smiling gently as he asked, "What is the matter, my dear?"

"Look." Sirius growled, "Look at her neck. Her shoulder. Her eyes."

The normal twinkling of Dumbledore's blue eyes was replaced with a sorrow she did not quite understand as he sighed and softly inspected the blisters and bruises covering her neck and shoulder.

"It just so happens that we have a most knowledgeable man on the subject of remedies." Dumbledore gestured behind her and then another figure appeared in her vision. She knew who it was before he came forward because she could smell him. A crisp smell with an herbal after-tone. Like the ocean and the forest. Snape. He was wearing his normal pitch-black robes. His long hair was the same. His dark, menacing gaze was the same. Yet he was completely different. She felt an involuntary blush coat her cheeks as Dumbledore gestured once more and murmured, "What do you make of her injury, Severus?"

His dark eyes flickered to her gaze just once before focused on the shiny blisters on the side of her neck. He said, "These can be easily taken care of. As for the bruises…"

His expression was blank, which left Holly feeling more frustrated. She found herself wanting to know exactly what he was thinking. He never once touched her as Sirius continued to hold her hair away from her neck and shoulder. Dumbledore met her gaze and asked, "Holly, how did you obtain these injuries?"

"Sunburn." Holly muttered, "And Dudley got ahold of me when my back was turned. Not much I could do about it."

"That fat, good-for-nothing-" Sirius ranted in a tense mutter. After her godfather had called Dudley several colorful names, Holly grinned.

Snape spoke in a deep and quiet voice, "Give me half an hour and I will return with what is needed."

Dumbledore nodded as Snape stepped back and Apparated.

There was a long moment of silence before Dumbledore patted Sirius on the shoulder in a gentle manner and then turned to speak to Moody and Mr. Weasley, "Won't you two sit down and have a bit of stew? Molly made a most delicious meal."

"Mrs. Weasley is here?" Holly asked to cover up the loud sound of her growling stomach.

Sirius slowly dropped her dark hair and said, "Yes. She is upstairs, likely washing clothes. That woman always stays busy."

Holly dropped into a nearby chair and laid her elbows on the long, wooden table in front of her. She surveyed the room as Moody and Mr. Weasley sat across from her. They were talking in terse whispers with Dumbledore. Sirius sat to the right of Holly and asked, "Are you hungry, Holly?"

She shook her head and lied, "Not too much."

Once she spoke, Dumbledore turned to her and asked, "How has your holiday been, Holly? Not too terrible, I hope."

Fire ignited inside of her in less than a second. A heavy scowl appeared on her face and her hands shook so badly that she carefully slipped them underneath the table to hide her reaction. She muttered hotly, "Quite terrible, actually."

She saw sorrow in those familiar blue eyes and listened to the note of guilt in his voice as he replied, "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm afraid that it is necessary to stay at that dreadful place each summer. It is a way to protect you."

She wanted to tell him how much she hated being protected. A small part of her, a dark part she did not want to pay close attention to, wanted to tell Dumbledore how all of his protection had failed to keep her safe from Voldemort so far. Moody was frowning deeply at her and Mr. Weasley looked uncomfortable with the heavy silence. Sirius was watching her carefully, but it was Dumbledore she paid strict attention to.

"I guess," She mumbled, "I should ask how staying with the Dursleys is considered protection."

Dumbledore replied, "That house offers you a blood-bound protection until you come of age at seventeen. This is old, ancestral magic put into place because of Petunia. She is your mother's biological sister."

Holly felt most of the anger die like the last wisps of smoke, but she knew it would rise again if she were to get upset. Idly, she decided the amount of uncharacteristic anger was due to lack of sleep and five weeks' worth of spending time with the Dursleys. She sighed and asked, "I will have to stay there next summer as well, Professor?"

Dumbledore nodded and gravely said, "I'm afraid so."

Holly nodded and felt the anger coiling around her heart once more. It was like a monster, fighting to break free of her body. More than willing to spew from her mouth and fly from her hands. She swallowed heavily and asked, "If this blood-protection is so important, why am I here now?"

Moody huffed, "You ask a lot of questions, Potter."

"I find it ignorant not to ask questions." Holly retorted hotly.

Sirius snorted in quiet laughter, which earned him a quick grin from Holly. They shared a moment of merriment before Dumbledore said, "I do not mind answering questions, especially when they are intelligent ones. Holly, you are here because we must inform you of all that has happened and all that we believe will happen. You have stayed at the Dursleys long enough, I believe, to keep the protection in place."

"What's been happening?" She asked quickly.

Dumbledore explained quietly, "Voldemort is building his army once again. Professor Moody and numerous other Aurors have reported Death Eaters returning to Voldemort at a rapid pace."

Holly nodded. She was not surprised. After all, if she were a Dark Lord she would be rounding up her followers just as Voldemort was doing. Though, that knowledge didn't stop the cold dread from sinking to the bottom of her hollow stomach like a rock. She asked, "What about the Death Eaters in Azkaban?"

"There have been no reports of breakouts," Dumbledore replied, "Although it will not take much time before Voldemort manages to find a way to free his favorite Death Eaters."

Mr. Weasley spoke up, "Fortunately, I see no signs of You-Know-Who attempting to infiltrate the Ministry."

Moody snarled, "Malfoy and plenty others work for Voldemort and have jobs within the Ministry. It's only a matter of time before that stupid git, Fudge, gets what's coming for him."

Dumbledore held up a hand and said, "I believe the Minister will come to see the truth. We must hope it happens sooner rather than later. I will continue to try to persuade him."

"Holly," Sirius spoke up, "Fudge is overrun with terror. He's in denial over Voldemort coming back. Since the finale of the Tournament, he has been putting rubbish in the Daily Prophet about both you and Dumbledore."

"What kind of rubbish?" Holly asked in annoyance.

Dumbledore smiled and replied, "None that you should worry about. He is simply scared. You will find, Holly, what men are truly made of during the darkest of times. People like the Minister lack courage."

It was then that Snape came walking down the narrow hallway with his dark cape billowing behind him. He slipped into the kitchen and spoke in a voice filled with disdain, "I must sit there, Black."

Sirius stood and tightly replied, "Of course, Professor Snape."

Holly felt irritation well within her for their rude behavior toward one another, but she was too tired to talk. Too filled with the dark conversation she had just had. Snape sat down in the chair Sirius had been occupying the moment before, but she felt Snape in such a way that she hadn't felt Sirius. The chair, she now realized, was much closer to her own. Snape's legs were a mere two or three inches from her own. She was so focused on his ocean and forest scent that she didn't realize Dumbledore was saying a farewell to Mr. Weasley and Moody until both men Apparated.

Dumbledore walked around the edge of the table, but Holly realized his eyes were on the two older men and not her at all. Sirius was questioning Snape on the wide selection of potion vials laid across the table. A few moments passed before Snape snapped, "Unlike you, I am confident in my abilities and my own knowledge to care for an injured child. I will only tell you once to step back and allow me to do my work."

Sirius huffed, "I wouldn't put it pass you to poison her, Snape. I'm not going anywhere."

Holly wasn't entirely sure why Snape's eyes suddenly widened in outrage. Honestly, Holly had been worried Snape would poison her on more than one occasion. In fact, he had once threatened to pour a truth potion into her drink. This is, of course, illegal for teachers to do to student. She didn't think Snape really cared about rules, though. She gulped as Snape whirled around and was suddenly in Sirius's personal space. His voice was but a whisper as he said, "How dare you? You've only continued to prove how ignorant and childish you are, Black. You know nothing about me, or Dumbledore himself, which is clear because of the sentence you just uttered."

Sirius smirked darkly before saying, "Oh, I know you better than you think. I know what you've done, Snape. Never forget that. I will never trust you with Holly's welfare. That won't change."

Dumbledore stepped between the two and Snape immediately turned back to the table. He pulled a small cauldron out of his robe pocket and began to pour vials into the pot. Holly's eyes stayed glued to Snape's movements, but her ears were trained to the quiet conversation between Dumbledore and Sirius.

"I very well trust Severus." Dumbledore murmured, "That was a clear display of mistrust, Sirius, and I have to say I am disappointed. I know the two of you have differences-"

"It is well beyond simple differences, Albus." Sirius hissed.

"I understand that, but now is not the time for personal issues." Dumbledore stressed, "Now is the time for all to band together against Voldemort. Severus is every bit on our side as Holly is. I promise to you that there is no ill-will hidden within Severus Snape."

Sirius glanced at Holly. His dark eyes turned to Snape before Sirius asked, "How can you be so sure, after all he has done?"

There was a pause before Dumbledore whispered, "It is our actions that show others who we are. Severus has acted out in bravery for the last fifteen years. He wants Voldemort dead just as much as we do."

Sirius walked passed Dumbledore without another word. He softly touched Holly's shoulder and asked, "Will you be alright? I think I will take my leave now. I am quite tired. Your room is right upstairs. You'll be sharing with Hermione."

She gave a false smile and nodded. Nerves were eating at her insides as Sirius exited the room. Now it was just Snape and Dumbledore. The conversation over the last fifteen minutes was stirring around in her head continuously until she thought she was getting a headache again.

Dumbledore sat across from Holly and summoned a plate full of sweet treats. He smiled at Holly and said, "I do have such a sweet tooth after a long, hard day. Would either of you fancy a chocolate biscuit?"

She shook her head and crossed her arms over her stomach in a nervous gesture as Snape came to her side. He looked menacing and imposing as usual. Tall and clad in black. Her heart pounded oddly in her chest.

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 **A/N:** I would really appreciate a review on this one. What do you think of Sirius and Severus? Of Holly? Thank you for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** _Enjoy. Please, feel free to leave a comment telling me if you like or dislike it. A big thank you to Tightpants for reviewing:) It was much appreciated._

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Snape finally turned toward her. It was only after his eyes met her own- if only for a single second- that she realized those black orbs were what she had been waiting for. He carefully lifted her hair and pushed it behind her back and she tried not to shiver, but to no success. Snape's eyes flickered to meet hers once more as she continued to shiver. He said nothing as his fingertips touched her head and pushed slightly. She tilted her neck and exposed the row of nasty burns. Her stomach was filled with jumping frogs and her heart was beating unevenly in her chest. She felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness as she waited for his fingertips to touch her. It seemed like an eternity before he did.

His touch was not what she expected. His fingertips were warm and firm, yet not rough. She had never given Professor Snape's hands much thought until now, but she could feel how long his fingers were. Long, smooth, and slim. Like the perfect artist's hand. His touch was gentle, which surprised her the most. She would never have thought this man to be gentle. In fact, she usually thought of Snape to be as gentle as the Hungarian Horntail dragon she faced last year.

She cast a nervous glance at the close-up of Snape's face. His eyes were focused pointedly on the motion of his fingertips on her neck. She could see his left hand held a blue potion that he was carefully pouring on the wounds. She saw, for the very first time, no flaws on her Potions Master; she only saw beauty. Dumbledore was watching them closely as he munched happily on his chocolate biscuit. A moment more passed where Holly blankly stared ahead and thought only of the wonderful feeling of Snape's fingers easing the pain of her burns.

After some time, his fingers disappeared and she felt great disappointment. She watched as he capped a vial and shoved it into his pocket. He handed her a dark green vial and instructed, "You are to put this on your bruises twice a day. Do not put too much. Just a dab per bruise will do. Your blisters will be completely healed by morning."

"Thank you, sir." Holly whispered quietly.

She hadn't meant to speak, but found herself guilty over Sirius's accusations earlier. She wasn't sure why Snape looked so surprised, but he masked the expression quickly before saying, "You're welcome, Miss Potter."

Dumbledore spoke up, "Thank you, Severus. You have done a wonderful job, as usual. I do believe Fawkes is calling me back to Hogwarts. It seems Minerva needs to speak with me. Will you show Holly to her bedroom? Holly, I shall be back within the next day or two. Stay here with Sirius, Hermione, and the Weasleys."

He disappeared as quickly as Snape had earlier. Holly muttered, "I really want to learn how to do that."

Snape replied in his usual curt voice, "You will in your sixth year. Come and follow me."

Holly eventually found out that it was just past midnight when she arrived at the magical apartment Hermione and Ron called 12 Grimmauld Place. After Snape wordlessly showed her up the staircase and to her bedroom, he disappeared and she was left with a sleepy Hermione. They spoke for a few minutes before both girls climbed into their beds and fell asleep. Holly was woken around mid-morning from a rather embarrassing dream of Snape by a wide-eyed redhead. Ron exclaimed, "Holly! Fred and George said Death Eaters followed you guys last night."

Holly grinned, her dream of Snape forgotten for the moment, as she shook her head and replied, "They lied to you, Ron."

He rolled his dark blue eyes and blushed when he caught a glance of Hermione in her nightgown. Hermione blushed too and pulled the covers up to her neck before saying, "We will see you in the kitchen for breakfast soon, Ron. Get out, so we may change clothes."

Holly giggled at the awkward exchange between her two best friends. She wondered if Hermione realized Ron now had more interest in Hermione than he ever did before. After the girls donned denim jeans and fresh t-shirts, they ventured downstairs. They met the Weasley twins in the hallway and they all reached the kitchen at the same time. They found Ron sitting beside Sirius and both seemed to be discussing Quidditch. Sirius gave a tired smile and greeted, "Good morning, girls."

Holly gave a small smile and sat right across from Sirius and Ron. Hermione sat to her right and the twins sat to the right of Hermione. Molly was at the stove alongside the left corner of the kitchen; Holly hadn't realized there even was a stove during the night. She must have been more tired than she originally thought. Quite suddenly, glass cups and plates appeared before them all. Two place settings appeared beside two empty chairs. Holly felt her shoulders relax as Ron brought Fred and George in on the heated conversation at his favorite Quidditch team. Sirius gave a small, rough laugh. The sound made Holly very happy.

Molly Weasley came forward with a dirty apron wrapped around her plump middle. She waved her wand as she ruffled her three sons on the head. Orange juice filled all of their cups, which Holly immediately drank. Molly gave a soft smile before patting Holly on the shoulder and refilling her cup once more. She asked, "Did you sleep well, Holly, my dear?"

"Yes mam," Holly replied, "Thank you."

"Well, I hope you're hungry, dear." Molly said as she handed a newspaper to Sirius.

"Yes mam," Holly repeated, "I'm definitely hungry."

It was right as Molly was dishing out hot servings of eggs, bacon, and sausages that Mr. Weasley walked in. He sat at one of the two empty chairs before giving Molly a kiss on the cheek. He smiled at Hermione and Holly, which left his blue eyes wrinkled at the corners. Oddly enough, Holly found the look to be very handsome on Mr. Weasley. She felt a surge of affection for the Weasley parents as Molly slapped Fred's hand with a wooden spoon. She fretted, "Save enough for your sister and father. Arthur, I'm heading upstairs to wake up Ginny. Do fill your plate."

She disappeared and Fred reached over, swiping a large handful of bacon and splitting it with his twin. George grinned when he caught Holly laughing quietly at their antics. He leaned over and whispered, "Watch it or I might steal your food."

She returned to stuffing her mouth full of deliciously cheesy eggs while occasionally joining in conversation with Ron and Sirius or Hermione or Mr. Weasley. Only after Ginny and Molly returned did Holly reach for a second serving of eggs and sausages. Breakfast carried on in a much longer and joyous occasion than it ever did at the Dursleys' house. As Molly waved her wand and cleared the table, Holly automatically offered to wash dishes. Molly waved her away with a smile and said, "You kids go find a way to occupy yourselves."

The twins immediately ran up the staircase, talking in excited whispers, as they went to their bedroom and closed the door. As Ron, Hermione, and Holly went up the staircase Holly asked, "What are those two up to?"

"This is their last year of school," Ron replied, "They're taking the joke shop very seriously. They have been experimenting on products and sending out flyers and pamphlets for weeks. In fact, they both came in with cardboard boxes last night."

"Last night?" Holly questioned as they all lounged on her bed. "But they were with us last night. How did they have time to get boxes full of…full of what?"

Ron and Holly looked at Hermione, waiting for her intelligent answer. She rolled her eyes and explained, "They probably bought a shipment of products and had them delivered near the Dursleys' house. I bet they used a Summoning Charm as soon as we landed on the Dursleys' front steps. In fact, I'm sure of it because Fred walked around the side of their house without his dad or Professor Moody."

Ron grinned, "They're brilliant."

Holly nodded happily and agreed, "Definitely."

"What else do they have besides those great treats?"

Ron exclaimed, "Oh! They have loads of things! All kinds of funny magical items. Neither one will tell me much, but they did say they were experimenting with other stuff besides just joke gifts and sweets."

Holly was just about to start guessing on the different experiments the twins were probably doing when she noticed who stood in the bedroom doorway. Holly's eyes widened and she loudly said, "Hello, Professor Dumbledore."

Ron nearly fell off of the bed as he turned around. His cheeks turned red as he stuttered, "O-Oh, hi, Professor. Um, how long have you been standing there?"

His blue eyes were twinkling lively as he replied, "Not too terribly long, Mr. Weasley. How are you doing this morning?"

"I'm doing well, sir." Ron replied.

"And you, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore came further into the bedroom. He glanced around before meeting Hermione's gaze. She said, "I'm doing fine, Professor. How are you?"

"I'm well enough." Dumbledore smiled and gestured to Holly, "I do believe I will have to borrow your friend, though. Holly, if you could come with me…"

Holly stood up and quietly followed Dumbledore after offering a confused shrug with Ron. Her mind was fueled with questions, but she stayed silent as she followed Dumbledore down the stairs. Instead of going through the kitchen, he led her down another narrow hallway. They passed a dusty sitting room and a few rooms with closed doors. After turning down a smaller hallway, they came to a door that stood ajar. Besides a small bathroom a few feet down the hallway, this was the only other room within the immediate vicinity. Dumbledore pushed the door open and gestured Holly inside with a swoop of his arms.

The room was larger than she had expected, but not overly big. The lighting was poor, as was most of Grimmauld Place. There was a dim-lit lamp in the corner of the room and a large sofa in the back corner. It was a bit dirty and she was pretty sure she didn't want to sit on it. On the opposite side of the room stood a long wooden desk with a small potion station. There were numerous vials, jarred ingredients, cutting boards, knives, spoons, and cauldrons. There were no windows and only one small chair directly in the middle of the room. The floors were dark, dirty, and made of hard concrete. Holly turned and asked, "What's this room for, Professor?"

Dumbledore said, "I wish you to be trained, Holly. There is some magic you will not learn at Hogwarts because the majority of the wizarding world considers certain magic beyond the capabilities of children. I disagree."

Holly stared steadily at those wise blue eyes as she asked, "What kind of magic?"

"It is magic of the mind," He explained, "A complex and difficult magic that does not necessarily require a wand. There are few in our world who have mastered the abilities to handle and understand the magic of the mind."

Holly swallowed and hesitantly replied, "I don't do overly well with most magic, sir. I do quite well with Defensive spells…and I do alright with Charms, but I'm no good at any other magic, sir."

Dumbledore smiled softly and replied, "The key to learning is patience and understanding. Talent does not always play a factor, but rather determination."

When Holly did not speak, Dumbledore stepped forward and stated, "I believe you have plenty of determination, Miss Potter. I have confidence that you can excel at the task I am about to ask you to participate in."

Holly felt a surge of pride at his words. She took a deep breath and nodded before saying, "Of course, sir."

His smile grew a bit bigger before he said, "I would like you to train in the arts of Occlumency."

The term was absolutely foreign to her. She asked, "Occlumency, sir?"

Dumbledore nodded and replied, "Yes. There are few who can claim to be masters of such a feat. I, myself, do well with Occlumency. It is the art of closing one's mind against an opponent. If you learn Occlumency, you could magically force an intruder from your mind."

Dumbledore stepped closer and said, "It is imperative that you learn how to block your own mind from others, Holly. Voldemort is extremely skilled at entering a person's mind and controlling them. He has been known to alter one's emotions and plant false visions. It is wise for us to assume he might try the same with you."

Holly felt the same cold dread from the night before. It crawled up her throat and wrapped around her vocal cords. She nodded wordlessly.

Dumbledore's eyes roamed over her blank face for a moment before explaining: "Those who have reached mastery levels in the art of Occlumency are called Occulmens. Only two are able to aid you in this endeavor. One is myself, but I'm afraid I will be quite busy for the next few weeks. However, Professor Snape is willing to teach you."

Holly's eyes widened as she asked, "Professor Snape, sir?"

He nodded and his long, silver beard moved about. Holly asked, "When?"

Dumbledore replied, "As soon as possible. You are vulnerable from now until you learn. You have no way to cast Voldemort out if he were to try entering your mind today. You understand the seriousness of these lessons, correct, Holly?"

She nodded and said, "Yes. I understand."

Dumbledore touched her shoulder and said, "I trust you to understand that your differences with Professor Snape over the years must be put aside for the greater good."

Holly nodded numbly. She doubted Dumbledore could possibly understand her feelings involving Professor Snape at the moment. A few seconds of silence passed before he quietly asked, "How are your bruises and blisters?"

"The blisters are gone." She replied as she looked up and met his gaze, "The bruises are nothing. They will heal over time. The potion is helping."

Dumbledore looked so steadily at her that she felt embarrassed. She wondered what he was thinking and nearly started to squirm before he spoke in a soft tone. "Professor Snape cares about your welfare, Holly. He is a dark man, but not in the same sense as Voldemort. It is rather unfortunate that most people see Severus's darkness, but cannot distinguish between the different shades of dark."

Holly frowned and murmured, "How are there different shades of dark, Professor? If a person is dark, then they are dark…right?"

Dumbledore smiled and replied, "You would do well to keep an open-mind. Not everything is as it seems, you know."

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 **AN:** _There are three parts to this story. I have finished Part One and am nearly done with Part Two. I'd love to see what you have to say about Snape, Dumbledore, or Holly herself. I do well with answering any and all messages and reviews._


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** _Thanks to those reading! Here ya go. Enjoy._

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Before she could ask more questions, Professor Snape walked into the room. His black robes were wrapped around his tall figure. His long, black hair was somewhat oily, but Holly didn't find it nearly as unattractive as before. His skin was very pale, much like alabaster. She wondered if it was as smooth as it looked to be. He met eyes with Dumbledore and then glanced at Holly before he said, "Headmaster."

Dumbledore smiled happily and greeted, "Severus, my boy. I was just explaining Occlumency to Holly here."

Snape raised a perfectly thin, dark brown and sarcastically stated, "I bet that went well."

Holly felt an involuntary grin lift her lips as she replied, "Better than you might think."

Both men looked at her- one with surprise and the other with annoyance. She hastily added, "Sir. I forgot to say 'sir' at the end."

Dumbledore chuckled while Snape rolled his eyes. Dumbledore clapped Snape on the back and stated, "I will leave you to it, Severus. Don't hesitate to call for me if you have need of me, my friend."

Dumbledore walked out of the room and Holly blinked at Snape before awkwardly greeting, "Um, hello, Professor."

Snape rolled his eyes once more and curtly replied, "Cut the pleasantries, Miss Potter. Let us get straight to work. Occlumency is an art that I doubt you will be able to comprehend, but I will try my best. As I'm sure the Headmaster already explained, Occlumency is the action of defending your mind against an intruder. The reason this is such a difficult magic to learn is because there are no textbook instructions to follow. No simple incantation. The only way to learn is with repetitive practice."

Holly felt the same nervous energy she felt the night before; it seemed to be a feeling she experienced whenever Snape was in the same room as her. Underneath that delicious feeling, however, was a sickening queasiness. She didn't think the Occlumency lessons were going to go well at all. It sounded beyond her understanding. Surely no kids her age had any idea how to magically block their minds from enemies? How was she to learn such a thing? Then, she pictured Voldemort's inhumane eyes. The eyes of pure evil. The eyes of everything bad in the entire world. The eyes of murder, of cruelty, of suffering, and greed. With a great sigh, Holly gathered her thoughts and paid strict attention to Snape's words. She couldn't let such evil walk into her mind. She had to fight back. She had to protect herself.

Holly was, as she had known, right in her assumption about Occlumency. When Snape first opened his mouth and curtly barked, "Prepare yourself", she had no idea what he meant. He pointed his wand at her, without saying words, and then she woke on the floor with a splitting headache. Snape was standing across the room, dark eyes gazing at her with pointed scrutiny. He remarked, "You had not a single defense. I slipped into your mind with no effort at all."

Her cheeks felt hot as she stood on wobbly legs. Dread began to build in her stomach; what had he seen inside her mind? She gripped the rickety chair in the middle of the room. She wondered when she had fallen out of the damn thing before she opened her mouth and demanded in a shaky voice, "Stay out of my head."

Snape sneered, "I would rather be any other place, but the Headmaster thinks this is necessary. Because I am best fit for this situation, we are both stuck together." He pointed at the chair and demanded, "Sit down and attempt to block your mind from me."

It went on with the same nasty remarks and headaches for hours until Holly woke for the twelfth time. A thin layer of clammy sweat was trickling down her back. Her dark hair, despite being pulled into a ponytail, was still damp with sweat. Her breathing was heavily accelerated in the musty, dim-lit room as she crawled into a sitting position. Taking a labored breath, she shoved off of the floor and to her feet. She swayed once before focusing her eyes on Snape. He was leaning against the wooden potion table, but Holly could hardly see any details because her vision was blurry from exhaustion. She panted, "Let's try again."

Snape replied, "I daresay you won't be able to handle another round of mind-penetration, Potter. You are so very defenseless that I find myself believing the Dark Lord might win this war after all."

Holly narrowed her eyes as her body burned with a hot anger. She felt a burst of strength as she retorted, "If you are so sure of his victory, why are you here?"

His only answer was to fling the door open with a flick of his wand. He raised one dark brow and demanded, "Be in this room at four o'clock tomorrow evening."

Holly stumbled out of the room and through the maze of narrow hallways until she finally reached the base of the stairs. She half-walked and half-crawled to her bedroom, where she flopped onto the bed and dreamed of Severus Snape.

The summer continued with her Occlumency lessons, but with little success. She only managed to block Snape's attempts on two occasions. During these particular sessions, she had been overly aware of Snape. He was standing too close. She could smell his ocean and forest scent. She could nearly taste it. This brought forth short motion pictures of her most private dreams involving him. In a complete panic, she had somehow managed to block Snape from entering her mind. It was toward the end of summer holidays, just two days before they were to return to Hogwarts, that Snape seemed to burst with absolute frustration.

"Why can you not grasp the most basic of concepts, Potter? Are you honestly this dense? I have been attempting to teach you, but you obviously have no will to learn. Why should I waste my valuable time with an ignorant, uncooperative brat such as yourself? You must figure out how you blocked me before and use that against me."

Holly all but burst with anger as she jumped up and yelled, "I've been trying!"

Snape took a large lunge forward until he was nearly in Holly's face before snarling, "Not hard enough."

"What else do you want from me?" Holly demanded as hot tears of frustration leaked down her cheeks, "I come here every night and allow you to throw me about for hours. Do you think I _want_ you inside of my mind, seeing my most private thoughts?"

Snape hissed and took a step back. Holly watched in irritated interest as he rubbed at his large nose with his hand before curtly asking, "How did you block me the two times that you did? What were you thinking of?"

Her cheeks grew hotter than before. She felt the thudding of her heartbeat as she mumbled, "I'm not telling you that."

"Whatever private business you didn't want me to see, I most likely already have. Your mind is filled with stupid adventures with your friends and ghastly confrontations between yourself and that Muggle family. I have seen little else worth noticing. Regardless, what you didn't want me to see the day you blocked me is the key to building your shield."  
Holly chose to ignore his rude comments and asked, "Shield? What shield?"

Snape growled, "Have you listened to a word I have said for the past four weeks? You must learn to build a mental shield against intruders. You must concentrate and pull all your energy into a single point. That point is your shield."

Holly blinked wordlessly.

Snape watched her for a long moment before snapping, "Get out. Get out! I will be informing the Headmaster that I cannot teach you any longer."

Her heart skipped a beat and she shouted, "No!"

There was another pause before she stammered, "I-I don't know how to build a shield, but I was panicking the time that I blocked you. I don't know how I did it. All I felt was panic. My mind was preoccupied with…things I _really_ didn't want you to see."

Snape stared at her with his dark gaze and expressionless face. She stood, knees trembling, head aching, vision blurry. He said, "I want you to imagine whatever it is that you don't want me to see. Imagine it and use that emotion to block me."

Her eyes widened the slightest bit and she attempted to latch onto _any_ memory except the beautiful and wistful dreams of her Snape. Her tired mind scrambled, but there was nothing to catch. Nothing but soft liquid dreams of him. Within less than ten seconds, Snape had pointed his wand and wordlessly casted the spell.

 _She was giggling as she rolled across her large bed in the girls' dormitory at Hogwarts. She could hear his deep, quiet laugh. It was a wonderful sound. So pleasant and lush. She felt his long, slim hands softly grab her waist before she actually saw him. His eyes were dark, like always, but they were intense with emotions she didn't know. He pinned her underneath him, but hovered over her body instead of crushing her with his weight. His curtain of dark hair was falling forward, casting an illusion of privacy. He murmured, "I have missed you so much."_

 _She felt the gentle smile pull at her lips as she said, "I've missed you too."_

 _Suddenly she was standing in a dark corridor. She was wearing different clothes; her school uniform this time; and Snape was standing before her. He was wearing his usual black robes and he was smirking in a way that usually meant he was about to inflict humiliation onto a student. Except this smirk made Holly's stomach dance with anticipation. Snape placed his hands on either side of her head, effectively caging her. He was so close to her that she felt off-balanced. She could smell his potent scent and taste his breath on her tongue. He whispered, "Do you know how badly I've been wanting this?"_

 _An odd sound left her throat. It was a cross between a whimper and a laugh. Her bottom lip trembled as he leaned forward. Their lips met in a searing kiss that caused soft sounds of pleasure to leave her mouth._ He was just slipping those long fingers from her knee up to her thigh when Holly woke with a gasp.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, but was trembling so much that she fell down. After another try, she managed to properly sit up. Her heart was pounding out a rhythm so loudly that she knew he could hear it. She felt dizzy and sick to her stomach as she glanced up to meet the eyes of her teacher. His pale face was expressionless, but she could read the shock in his familiar, dark eyes. She had no idea what to say or do. Should she apologize? Would apologizing insult him? Were these dreams insulting him? Should she stay quiet? Did he even care?

She glanced up once more and saw he was still frozen. He seemed to be barely breathing. Yes, she decided, he most definitely cared. She was unsure if that was a good or bad thing. She opened her mouth several times, but shut it again and again because she didn't know what to say. It seemed as if an entire year passed before Snape finally spoke. His tone was quiet and lacked any tone as he instructed, "You may leave, Miss Potter. I or Headmaster Dumbledore will inform you when your next lesson will be."

She slept restlessly that night and dreamed deeply of Voldemort. She was stuck behind a solid, yet invisible wall. On one side stood Voldemort and Snape. She was left on the other side with terror humming through her ice-cold veins. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound emerged. She felt frozen. Unable to breathe. Voldemort, tall and dark, stood proudly with his dark-cloaked hood. Holly couldn't hear what he was saying, but she could see Snape's pale and achingly familiar face. He seemed expressionless, yet she somehow knew that he was in danger. Voldemort was no friend to Severus Snape, but seeing the two of them together caused doubt to eat at her resolve. What was Snape doing with Voldemort? Was he truly a Death Eater? Was he a liar? Did he honestly have no loyalty to the Headmaster and to Hogwarts?

She was yanked from her nightmare by a loud knock on the bedroom door. Mrs. Weasley's dark redhead popped through the half-opened door as she said, "Get up and come eat breakfast. We will be heading to Diagon Alley at eight o'clock sharp."

Holly felt horrible as she shuffled down the hallway and into the bathroom. She couldn't decide which was worse: being depressed because of her Dream Snape's affiliation with Voldemort, being sick to her stomach over her Occlumency lesson the day before, or being in pain because of her aching head. After a long shower, she dressed and stood in front of the mirror. She rubbed at the scar on her forehead and peered closely to see if she could notice any changes in the scar's appearance.

"You can't rub away that dreadful marking on your head," The mirror suddenly spoke up in a deep voice, "Nor can you tame that curly mess of hair you have."

Holly scoffed and mumbled, "Nobody asked your opinion."

Once she dragged her tired body down the staircase and into the kitchen, she felt even worse. She sat beside Fred and Ron while George sat beside Hermione and Ginny, who he teased in a good-natured way. Mr. Weasley was reading the newspaper and quietly eating sausages while Mrs. Weasley bounced around with the endless energy of a mother. Holly sat down and blankly stared at her empty plate until Ron elbowed her in a gentle manner and whispered, "Are you okay, Holiday?"

She gave a wan smile at his stupid nickname and mumbled, "Bad night."

He leaned forward and spooned a big helping of eggs onto her plate before slicing a biscuit. He added marmalade before carefully setting the biscuit on her plate. Ron answered a question Fred had asked him before stuffing his mouth full of bacon. He swallowed before saying, "Well, eat up, Holly."

She was surprised at his caring and handling of her food, but thought it would be rude to question his friendly actions. She sipped on her cup of juice and nibbled on her biscuit. She was about halfway through with her breakfast when Mrs. Weasley finally sat down to eat. It was at that moment that Dumbledore walked through the door. He smiled at everyone and greeted, "Good morning."

Everyone greeted him in some way, except Holly. She took the last gulp of orange juice as Mrs. Weasley waved her wand and said, "Accio chair!"

There were several clattering noises before a chair flew into the kitchen and came to a stop right in front of Dumbledore. Holly assumed the chair came from some room upstairs, but didn't care enough to ask. After Dumbledore was seated he said, "I'm unsure if Molly or Arthur told you all, but we will be heading to Diagon Alley in the next few minutes. Do you all have your lists?"

Holly heard Ron mumble, "Yes sir."

From across the table Hermione replied promptly, "Of course, sir."

Holly was fairly certain her list was somewhere at the bottom of her trunk, which was upstairs. She was too tired to go looking for it, so she decided she would buy school items according to Ron's list. They had the same classes, after all. She felt stupid for not searching for her list before coming to the kitchen, but all feeling of stupidity was forgotten when Severus Snape walked into the room.

Dumbledore greeted happily, "Hello, Severus. There's enough time for breakfast, if you would like. Molly does make such wonderful eggs."

"I don't doubt that." Snape replied dryly. He stood in the corner of the room, nearly blending into the shadows, and said no more. He didn't even acknowledge Hermione or Mr. Weasley when they offered greetings. Holly's stomach began to dance with hopping frogs, but she wasn't sure if she was sick, excited, or both. Somehow, the confusing feeling only came about when she was thinking or dealing with Snape. She took a deep breath and pressed a shaky hand to her even shakier stomach. A few moments passed before Mr. Weasley called to his children. The twins jumped up and disappeared rather quickly while Ron lingered. His blue eyes showed concern as he asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

Holly nodded and stood up as well. She had intended to follow Ron out of the kitchen, but Dumbledore stopped her. "Holly, could you stay for a moment?"

She watched as Ginny and Hermione stood. Mrs. Weasley, who had finished magically stacking the dirty dishes, said, "Come along, girls. Holly has to speak with Professor Dumbledore. We'll all meet up in Diagon Alley soon enough."

Holly felt her heartbeat drop dramatically. She was barely breathing and her mind was blank. Only one thought swam through her mind: _Did Snape tell Dumbledore about her dreams?_ She took a shallow, uneven breath before Dumbledore's kind face came into view. His cornflower-blue eyes seemed darker than normal as he asked, "Are you quite alright, Holly? You seem ill. Why don't you sit down?"

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 **AN:** _I've written other stories on here- not HP- and I received reviews on a fairly regular basis. Not getting any makes me wonder if this concept is not as interesting as I first thought. I'd appreciate just a single line, telling me what you think of this idea so far._ I will post another chapter tomorrow if you go through the trouble of reviewing. Thanks- Taytay123456


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN:** THANK YOU to my two lovely reviewers:) You both made me smile. Also, thanks to the silent readers. I see you all out there and I'm patiently waiting for you to speak up;)  I'm a woman of my words, so here is another chapter. ENJOY!_

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 _His cornflower-blue eyes seemed darker than normal as he asked, "Are you quite alright, Holly? You seem ill. Why don't you sit down?"_

She gripped the tabletop because she felt as if she was about to pass out. She mumbled, "I'm just fine, sir. I slept fitfully."

"If you are not up to traveling, perhaps- "

"No, sir," She interrupted hastily, "I would like to go."

There as a pause before he quietly said, "Very well."

Holly watched as Dumbledore stood. His robes were a dark blue, which matched his eyes perfectly. She forced herself to focus on his long, silvery beard and his half-moon spectacles instead of Severus Snape, who was still hovering in the shadows. Dumbledore said, "Myself and Professor Snape are going to accompany you in Diagon Alley today, Holly. I hope you don't mind."

She lied, "I don't mind, Professor."

Dumbledore smiled and the way he looked at her made Holly think he knew that she was lying. He spoke in a conversational tone as he walked out of the kitchen. Holly followed hastily, but was entirely too aware of the dark-haired man trailing behind her. It took a long moment before she paid attention to what Dumbledore was saying.

"Have you traveled with someone who has Apparated before, Holly?"

She shook her head and said, "No, sir."

Dumbledore held out his hand, which she cautiously took before he said, "Close your eyes. I do apologize in advance."

"Apologize for what?"

There was a sudden ringing so loudly in her ears that her brewing headache seemed to double in force. She felt as if her ears were bleeding with the amount of pressure pushing its way around her skull. Nausea rose sharply as her body spun around at impossible speeds. Her eyes were shut so tightly and her body was bent forward. She had her mouth clamped shut and was desperately worried she would vomit all over Albus Dumbledore.

Just as suddenly as the pain and noise started, it stopped. She took deep, deliberate breaths. For the longest time, all she heard was the sound of her own galloping heartbeat. Then she heard Dumbledore saying, "The sickness will pass."

She opened her eyes and saw that they were standing inside the tiny, dusty room right outside of Diagon Alley. Her voice was hoarse and weak as she said, "I guess I know what you were apologizing for, sir."

"At least you didn't vomit." Snape sneered from behind her.

Dumbledore said, "Now, Severus, our Holly is quite a remarkable girl. I'm not surprised at all that she did so well her first time Apparating. She never once let go of me."

"What happens when you let go?" She asked as Dumbledore tapped upon the brick wall in front of them. Snape's voice was quiet as he stepped forward until he was side-by-side with Holly. Her stomach was immediately assaulted with an odd fluttering sensation as his deep and quiet voice spoke, "Your body ends up missing parts. Or you die."

Dumbledore smiled and laughed before saying, "Come now, Severus. Dying while performing Travel Apparation has only happened in extreme cases. Most who let go only end up with temporary injuries."

A quick glance at Snape showed that he was none too pleased with Dumbledore's laughter. It was the way Snape's angular jaw was locked that made Holly think he was irritated with Dumbledore, but _why_ Snape was irritated with Dumbledore was beyond her understanding. Idly, she wondered why Dumbledore hadn't fully explained the necessary rules of Apparation. After all, what if she had let go? She could have been seriously injured.

She had little time to think more on the situation because the brick wall had finished parting and the odd group of three was now walking into Diagon Alley.

It wasn't until Dumbledore questioned her on the necessary textbooks for the new school year that Holly remembered she didn't have her list. She wasn't sure if it was her facial expression or her hesitation to answer that gave her away, but Snape spoke in his cutting voice before she could formulate a proper excuse.

"Albus," He said in a condescending tone, "I have taught Miss Potter for four years now and she has yet to show responsibility with her academics. I think it is safe to assume, due to her lack of a response, that she doesn't know which textbooks are needed."

Holly glared at Snape for a moment before turning to Dumbledore and mumbling, "Ron and I were planning on shopping together. We have the same classes. He has our list."

Dumbledore smiled and said, "It is no matter, dear. I believe I know which books you will need. Come along."

It was an awkward and stressful situation, but Holly found that she still wanted to be around Snape. It didn't matter that he alternated between offering nasty comments and ignoring her existence completely. It didn't matter that he seemed annoyed with being in Diagon Alley or even the fact that he had seen her most private dreams. She was embarrassed, certainly, but the man showed no signs of passing on that particular sacred information to Dumbledore. After retrieving money from Gringott's and buying all her standard potion ingredients and textbooks, she felt sick again. Snape was now glaring at Dumbledore too, and Holly was reminded of the odd look Snape had given the Headmaster earlier that morning.

She was impatient and filled with exhaustion as she was fitted for new black robes. She stayed behind the elevated wall that separated the changing station from the front of the little shop. Holly nearly sighed with relief when she was allowed to change back into her clothes. She gathered four new robes in appropriate sizes and was walking toward the front counter when she caught Snape whispering heatedly behind a large bookcase, "I don't find your carelessness to be funny, Albus."

Dumbledore's calm and quiet voice replied, "I was not intentionally careless with her, Severus, you must realize that. I had full belief that she could handle the state of affairs and she did just that. She has handled far worse before."

"She is a _child_ ," Snape hissed, "Just because she's faced the Dark Lord doesn't mean you should test her abilities at your every whim. Apparation is dangerous, and she was raised in the Muggle world, without proper knowledge of our ways. That alone gives reason to beg for even more caution with her."

There was a strange jolting sensation directly piercing her heart. She felt breathless as she realized _she_ was the subject of their conversation. More so, Severus Snape was talking as if he cared about her. She was still stuck with an odd sense of joy as she paid for her purchases. As she held her shopping bags in her hands, both men came walking toward her from the dusty corner near the bookshelves. Holly tried not to stare too obviously at Snape. His pale face was scowling and his long legs were taking large steps as he threw the front shop's door open and gestured Holly out with impatient hands.

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 **AN:** _That was important. Let me know what you think. Thanks:) Taytay123456_


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** _Thank you for the wonderful reviews from the ever sweet Tightpants and Hoboman67:) Thanks to ALL my readers! Enjoy._

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They walked side-by-side through the cobblestone paths of Diagon Alley before Holly glanced behind her to make sure Dumbledore was still there. Despite her attraction to Snape, she was still quite afraid of him. _But he defended you,_ she thought, _he was worried for your safety._ She kept replaying the short, whispered conversation over and over again inside her head as she struggled to keep up with the long strides of Snape. Her head was beginning to ache once again and her arms were sore from the loads of heavy bags. After several moments, Snape abruptly stopped walking. He sighed quietly before holding out his hands and demanding, "Give me your heaviest bags."

Holly's tired mind was blank as she cautiously handed over all the packages from her right arm. He snatched them away, wordlessly cast a spell, and then the packages disappeared. She raised her eyebrows in question, but Snape paid her no mind. He sarcastically asked, "Do you think you will be able to handle the other half of your purchases? Or do I need to send those to Hogwarts as well?"

A warm hand on her shoulder caused her to jump with fright. She looked up to see Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes. He stated, "I do believe we have all you need, Holly. Why don't we meet the Weasleys and head back to quarters?"

Holly barely paid attention as Ron and Hermione babbled excitedly. It took Ron considerable more time than Hermione to realize that Holly still wasn't feeling well. The twins tried to cheer her up with whispered jokes about Snape, but those only made Holly feel worse. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went into the bookshop without any of the children, which left everyone else in a small courtyard right outside the shop. Dumbledore didn't seem to mind engaging in conversations with Ginny and Hermione about Transfigurations or talking about the next World Quidditch Cup with Ron and the twins, but Snape loathed every second of watching over the children. That much was clear by the malice in his dark eyes and the tensed position of his jaw.

Because nobody was paying any attention to her; they were all rather preoccupied with stories from Professor Dumbledore, Holly took a chance to sneak a glance at Snape. His eyes were constantly looking around. She decided he was looking out for Death Eaters, or perhaps Voldemort himself, but he found nothing. After thirty minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came out of the bookshop with towering piles of textbooks in their hands. Most were dusty and rather shabby, but Holly thought that gave the books more character.

As they walked up the street to head back to the Leaky Cauldron, Holly noticed Snape stayed close to her side. He was not within touching distance, but still closer than he had been for most of the day. Dumbledore was exchanging conversational comments with Mr. Weasley about some sort of dragon incident in Romania as they walked into the Leaky Cauldron. There was a moment of chaos as Weasley kids passed packages about before Fred grabbed Hermione and George grabbed Ron. The four of them then Disapparated rather quickly. Holly raised her eyebrows and watched as Mrs. Weasley Disapparated with large piles of books balanced dangerously in her hands. Mr. Weasley left shortly after with Ginny gripping his hands tightly.

Holly turned to Dumbledore and started to ask, "Are we to Apparate as well, sir?"

Snape stepped in front of Dumbledore, gave her a look of loathing, and huffed, "I will take her back, Albus. I know you have things to attend to."

Dumbledore's searching gaze stayed locked with Holly for some time before he slowly nodded and gave a smile. "Of course, Severus. Good day, Holly."

Snape held his arm out and instead of grabbing onto him, Holly simply stared at the dark sleeve of his robes and wondered what the skin underneath those robes looked like. She felt a faint blush cover her cheeks as he snapped, "Take my arm, girl."

She hoped he couldn't tell how badly her hands were shaking as she wrapped them around his right forearm. He instructed, "Hold tightly and don't let go for any reason. Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to. Do you understand?"

Holly nodded and mumbled, "Yes sir."

She was surprised to find that clinging to Severus Snape while spiraling through time and space wasn't nearly as revolting as she originally thought it would be. When they arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place, Snape performed the knocking pattern while she gasped and stayed bent over. Determined not to vomit, she kept gasping and staying as still as possible. Instead of insulting her, Snape carefully and somewhat roughly maneuvered her inside the house and closed the door. She looked up just as he began to rummage inside the pockets of his robes. He pulled out a small, purple vial and held it out. She frowned, took the bottle with shaking hands and mumbled, "Um, thank you, sir. What is it?"

"A sleeping draught. You looked dreadful this morning. Take it an hour before you go to bed." He raised a dark brow and said, "I expect to see you in my office this Friday evening for another Occlumency lesson, Miss Potter."

She blushed violently at the reminder of her dreams. She nodded and stuttered, "Um, yes sir. What time, sir?"

"Directly after your last class of the day, Potter. Don't be late."

"I won't be, sir." She replied.

Later that night, she laid in bed and wondered why Snape was still willing to have Occlumency lessons with her. He saw the dream; she knew he had. The shocked look in his eyes and the pale mask that slipped over his face to hide his stunned emotions. She couldn't forget that even if she wanted to; that particular memory was burned into her mind. She took the potion and tucked the small vial away inside of her trunk for safe keeping before falling into a peaceful sleep for the first time since the Triwizard Tournament over three months before.

The ride to Hogwarts the following morning was filled with the normal excited chatter of friends. Despite sleeping without nightmares, Holly still woke with a headache. It had long since been assumed by herself, as well as by Hermione and Ron, that her scar hurt has a result of Voldemort being within close proximity. Now, however, Holly wasn't so sure about this past theory. Her scar hurt so much that her head ached constantly, but Voldemort wasn't anywhere near her.

As Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood talked happily with Ron and Ginny, Hermione was watching Holly. She watched Holly's slim body slouch over as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her tiny shoulders. Holly's black, wavy hair was messy as usual, but it was her emerald eyes clouded with pain that caused Hermione to worry greatly. While Hermione was watching her, Holly was also watching Hermione. Holly decided her friend's brown eyes were much too wise for such a young girl.

She leaned closely to Holly and whispered, "What's wrong?"

Holly shrugged a shoulder and mumbled, "I'm just tired."  
"You've been _just tired_ for half the summer holiday." Hermione replied in an exasperated tone, "Why don't you go to Madam Pompfrey when we get to the castle?"

Holly closed her eyes and nodded before muttering, "Yes, sure, I will go to her."

But she didn't go. Instead, Holly quietly ate her dinner and listened to Dumbledore's First-of-the-Term speech while discreetly glancing at Snape whenever the opportunity presented itself. She was irritated with herself for looking at him, but even more irritated with herself for _not_ being able to look away from him. He sat at the teachers' table, directly to the left of Dumbledore's chair. He looked sullen and threatening, which was his usual look, but Holly thought she caught his piercing gaze sweeping across the Gryffindor table more than any other. To her, that was significant.

As she tossed and turned fitfully in bed that night, she thought she would be looking forward to a normal school year with only her O.W.L tests and her attraction for Snape to worry about, but she found that to be far from the truth. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, truly didn't believe that Voldemort was back and rising to power once more. With every strange and dark situation occurring in the Wizarding world, Fudge became increasingly vibrant with his creative lies to the _Daily Prophet._ It was right after the Christmas holidays that he began to directly point fingers at Dumbledore and Holly. He claimed that they were causing mass panic, claimed Holly was suffering from a mental disorder due to her parents' dramatic deaths, claimed Dumbledore was after the position as Minister of Magic.

At the beginning of term, a woman by the name of Dolores Umbridge was selected to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. From the very first day of class, Holly decided she disliked the woman. She wore entirely too much pink and was an employee of Fudge, so that made Holly suspicious just because of Umbridge's employer. However, as the year progressed, it became obvious that Dolores Umbridge was put at Hogwarts by orders of Fudge himself. Any talk of Voldemort and a potential war was banned, any mention of Dark magic was banned. There were a select few, like Holly and her fellow Gryffindors, who purposely rebelled against Umbridge's ridiculous rules. During the winter, just a few months after school had started, it became clear to all the students that Umbridge was vile and unfit to be in charge of Hogwarts practicum. Holly, as well as numerous others, believed Dumbledore was the only person standing in between Umbridge and total Hogwarts domination.

It was during this time, and shortly after a revelation by Hermione, that a secret club was formed by a handful students. Holly was the so-called leader, although she felt a bit embarrassed about her position. Cleverly, the name of their club was _Dumbledore's Army_. Holly personally thought the name was bit overzealous, but all her friends seemed to like the name well enough. And, as she thought about the purpose of the class, she figured _Dumbledore's Army_ got the message across to all enemies. These were the students who were most loyal to the Headmaster. These were the students willing to stand by the man in defense against all that was evil. Holly's headaches continued, but she marched on through the school year. She studied when she could and spent the rest of her time rebelling against Dolores Umbridge and, by extension, the Minister of Magic himself.

Yet by the time spring came about, the future looked very bleak. Cornelius Fudge became so paranoid that he gave up telling the _Daily Prophet_ outrageous stories about Holly and Dumbledore. Instead, after an unfortunate incident where Umbridge found out about Dumbledore's Army, Fudge gave Dumbledore an official sacking and demanded he be removed from Hogwarts. This was the point that the teachers most loyal to Hogwarts quietly stepped forward and supported the students in all their rebellion.

It was a morning in late May when Holly was sitting in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Professor Umbridge, dressed sickly in a pink jumper, was having all the students write theories about a particular spell to be turned in at the end of the hour. Holly had spent the last several nights waking in a cold sweat. Her nightmares of Voldemort were increasing in violence as time went on. But Voldemort, as odd as it sounded, wasn't what kept her from sleeping. It was her beautiful dreams of Severus Snape that kept her gazing at the castle walls for hours on end. It was his deep voice whispering to her that caused her to wake up with a gasp. She was thinking of him, for perhaps the hundredth time in two days, when she realized Dolores Umbridge was calling Holly's name in a shrill voice. Blinking rapidly, Holly looked up. Her teeth clenched together as she muttered, "What was that, _Professor?"_

Holly hauntingly thought Umbridge looked like a swollen toad, but just barely refrained from saying so out loud. Umbridge was standing over Holly's desk with a glint in her beady eyes that reminded Holly of Uncle Vernon. Umbridge huffed, "Give me your assignment. Why haven't you finished yet?"

Holly glanced around and realized the rest of the class was filing out of the room. Many students, including Ron and Hermione, were giving her sympathetic glances. Holly didn't much care for sympathy. In fact, she relished the chance to unleash some of her frustration upon her target. Umbridge.

"Well, I believe you will serve detention for not finishing your assignment in a timely matter, Miss Potter." Umbridge chirped with a massive smile on her face, "I am rather booked up with your friend, Ron, tonight. However, I'm sure Professor Snape would be willing to keep you busy."

She nearly smiled with relief when she heard Snape's name. The majority of her detentions throughout the year had been with him. In fact, Umbridge had sent her straight to Snape for every single detention Holly had. Holly had a suspicion that Snape had his large nose stuck in her detention schedule for some unknown reason, but she couldn't be sure. Snape still treated her terribly and constantly dished out horrible comments in Potions class. It was during those times that she would replay the conversation from the summer holidays. It reminded her that, on some level, Severus Snape cared about her. _She is a child…I don't think your carelessness is funny, Albus. Just because she's faced the Dark Lord doesn't mean you should test her abilities at your every whim…_

"Miss Potter?" Umbridge ranted, "Potter, are you listening to me? Are you?"

Holly sighed as she resurfaced from her thoughts. She snapped, "Actually, no. I wasn't listening to you at all, _Professor."_

Holly felt triumph when she saw the outraged expression cross Umbridge's toad-like face. She began to gesture wildly and yelling shrilly, "You will meet me in my office tonight! You will be there at eleven, do you understand me?"  
"Yes," Holly said as she gathered her textbooks and shoved them in her satchel. She smiled pleasantly at Umbridge and said, "You're screaming loudly, so I understood you perfectly. See you tonight, mam."

She left Umbridge standing in the classroom with rage written across her face.

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 **AN:** _What do you think? I'm faithfully putting up chapters every Sunday:) There is SO much more that will be happening. I've written the majority of it (up to 70,000 words now) and I keep getting more and more excited to share it. Thanks for reading. Taytay12345._


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** _Longest chapter so far. Thank you all for reading and reviewing. Enjoy._

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Her happy mood lasted throughout Charms class, and by the time she walked to the dungeons with Ron and Hermione at her side she was in an even better mood. They arrived at Snape's classroom a few minutes before Potions was scheduled to start. The massive black doors were sealed tight, so the trio waited patiently in the cold corridor. Eventually, after the entire class assembled, Snape threw the doors open. Everyone gathered in the large, cold, musty room. While Ron and Neville looked around with revulsion, Holly felt relaxed. Down here, so many stories below the main corridors, she was away from her main enemy in the castle. Umbridge.

Holly quietly told the story of what transpired between her and Umbridge while her friend listened with rapid attention. After Snape put instructions on the chalkboard, the trio set up their cauldrons and began to work on their assigned potion. Holly had made a serious effort to improve her Potions skills, but she had only a slight increase in her grades. She wasn't certain if Snape had even noticed her efforts, but she would have been lying to herself if she said she didn't want to impress him. She also wasn't in denial; she knew impressing Snape would be more difficult than impressing Voldemort. Nonetheless, she read the directions from her textbook as carefully as possible and set about making a Dreamless Sleep Draught.

She was halfway finished with the potion, and she was fairly sure she was doing well, when Snape began to walk around the room like a vulture waiting for prey. Her hands shook slightly as Snape came to their table. The cape of his robe was billowing behind him, which caused a disturbance in the icy air. She felt a light breeze and then caught a whiff of his wonderful scent. Forest and the ocean. Clean, crisp, and sharp with a slightly salty undertone. Her eyes fell close on their own account and her shoulders relaxed. Snape scoffed at Ron's cauldron. "Does that look sunset orange to you, Weasley? I would think you'd know something about orange and red tones, considering the state of your hair."

After offering no comment on Hermione's potion, Snape came to the end of the table. Holly blinked and kept her eyes trained on the careful stirring motion her hand was making inside of the cauldron. Time seemed to crawl and fly by at the same time. On one hand, she wanted him to stay still and allow her to breathe that wonderful scent into her lungs. On the other hand, she wanted him to walk away because she was stressed by being in such close proximity with him. Finally, after an eternity, he walked away without a comment. Holly blinked at his retreating figure and then glanced at Hermione, who was grinning brightly.

She whispered excitedly, "You're doing so well! He had nothing negative to say! How great is that, Holly?"

She felt a smile pull at her lips as she glanced up. Startled, she realized those dark eyes were trained directly on her from across the room. His gaze flickered to Hermione once, which let Holly know Snape had heard what Hermione said. He raised an eyebrow before sweeping his robe behind him and going back to his desk. At the end of class, after all the students had turned in their Dreamless Sleep Draught, Holly packed her belongings and started to leave.

"Miss Potter, if you may come here?" Snape's deep and quiet voice spoke.

With her heart in her throat, Holly turned around and hesitantly walked back toward his desk. She stopped in front of him and stuttered, "Um, yes, sir?"

"I was informed that you have detention with Professor Umbridge tonight?"

Holly nodded and mumbled, "Yes sir. Unfortunately, I didn't finish my assignment quickly enough for her."

Snape's eyebrows raised as he dryly said, "I do believe that. After all, you take much longer than most to finish a potion recipe."

Irritation rose quickly, but Holly just stood still and tried not to react to his words at all. After a long pause, Snape sighed and plucked a vial from inside his desk drawer. He held it out and snapped impatiently, "Take it, Miss Potter."

Cautiously, Holly grabbed the vial and slipped it inside her pocket before asking, "Is it Dreamless Sleep Draught, sir?"

Snape sarcastically replied, "You are observant, Miss Potter. Do not worry about ill effects. This is a draught I made myself, so you are safe from harm. Take it as you will. Leave now, Miss Potter."

Holly thanked him and turned to leave. As she reached the doorway, Snape called out, "Do tell me what time your detention with Professor Umbridge is."

Holly blinked in confusion and answered, "Eleven this eve, sir."

His dark eyes gave away nothing as he nodded and gestured as he said, "You may leave now, Miss Potter. Try staying out of trouble for once in your life."

Holly worked quietly in the Gryffindor common-room during the dinner feast, and she knew her absence would be noticed by her friends. She was mumbling under her breath as she scratched messily on her Goblin Rebellion of 1612 essay. Slouched over the table and vigorously writing, her wavy hair slipped forward for the fourth time and obstructed her view. She huffed heavily and pulled an elastic band from her pocket before messily pulling her hair into a pile on top of her head. The large fireplace was preoccupied with a roaring fire, which was causing a thin layer of sweat to pool upon her skin. Now, with her long hair wrapped on top of her head, the nape of her neck was bare and already cooling.

She was just finishing the annoying essay when Ron barreled into the common-room. A few first year Gryffindors trailed behind him and went straight to their dormitories. Ron's long face, bright blue eyes, and casual gait were all familiar. He came straight to her table and dropped into the chair opposite of hers. He glanced at the various parchments spread across the little table before he picked up her history textbook. He questioned in disgust, "Homework, huh?"

Holly couldn't help but smile at his predictability. She replied vaguely, "Yes. I have turned into Hermione, haven't I?"

Ron offered a lopsided smile before saying, "I would have brought you some food if I would have known you were going to skip out on the feast."  
Holly shrugged as she drew a new book out of her satchel, which was tucked underneath the table. Ron watched her with interest before slowly asking, "Why are you bothering with all this tonight? We have all weekend to do homework."

"I have detention with Umbridge tonight," She replied in a tired voice, "I'm sure she will have me in detention every day for the next week. I need to get this Potions essay finished soon."

His eyebrows rose as he asked, "Why bother trying on the assignment when you know Snape will barely give us passing grades?"

Holly's eyes narrowed and she muttered, "I have received a few better grades than last year from Snape."

Ron's jaw dropped as he demanded, "What? Have you really?"  
Holly nodded and felt relief when she looked at the entrance and spotted numerous students coming through. Within seconds, the common-room was filled with chattering kids. Hermione was talking to Luna, but began to walk over once Holly waved frantically. Hermione greeted her with, "Why weren't you at dinner?"

Holly lied easily, "I had too much homework to do."

Hermione looked as if she was about to ask another question. Instead, she turned to Ron and asked, "Would you like to work on that spell now?"

Ron's blue eyes glanced at Holly before reluctantly nodding. He mumbled, "Guess I will see you once you're done with all this homework, Holly?"

Holly nodded and pushed a stray black hair behind her ear before she began to make notes in the margin on her Potions textbook. She underlined, circled, and commented on all of the most important aspects of that particular chapter in her textbook before retrieving a piece of parchment and writing notes on all she could remember from the Vegetable Growth Potion she had made the week before. After that, she began to compose the essay. Unfortunately, she was only halfway done with it when her vision began to double. It was then that she realized her scar was beginning to burn. She tossed her writing quill down on the table and rubbed softly at her forehead. She could hear the quiet conversations of the last few Gryffindors still mingling by the sofas, but she knew it was likely getting late.

She gathered her supplies and stuffed the majority of it into her satchel before heading up to her dormitory. The other four girls in her room- Hermione, Ginny, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil- were sound asleep. She tossed her satchel onto her bed, pulled her robes off, and changed into a dark blue sweater and denim pants. With her wand stuffed in the waistband of her pants, she crept out of the dormitory and out into the corridor. She knew Umbridge's office was somewhere on the floor below the Gryffindor common room, but she wasn't quite sure of the location. She walked aimlessly because she didn't mind making Umbridge mad. In fact, it made Holly cheerful to anger Umbridge.

She had no wristwatch to tell the time, but she knew it was well past time for students to be out of bed. She was also fairly sure she was a few minutes late for her detention. Part of her hoped she would get into more trouble and Umbridge would assign detention with Snape. Holly decided her luck wasn't that good as she turned the corner and knocked on the office door of Dolores Umbridge. The door was thrown open immediately, almost as if Umbridge had been waiting with her hand poised over the door handle. Holly raised her eyebrows and said, "Hey, Professor."

Umbridge looked like she could spit fire. Her plump stomach and chest were heaving as her beady eyes glowed angrily. She politely said, "Do you have any idea how late you are? I think the Minister of Magic would love to hear about your complete and utter disregard for rules, Miss Potter."

Holly felt resentment rise faster than a poisonous snake as she hissed, "Don't threaten me with that pompous man who is too ignorant to string two words together, _Professor_ Umbridge."

The older woman's small eyes widened in indignation as she grabbed a hold of Holly's sweater and forcefully yanked her into the room. Umbridge slammed the door as Holly straightened up and backed away. Her body was taut with the need to do bodily harm to the adult in front of her. She had to clench her fists and bite her tongue to stop herself from pulling out her wand and cursing Dolores Umbridge. She demanded, "Are we going to get on with my detention or not?"

There was a long pause where Holly thought she might have to physically fight Umbridge after all, but the manic look disappeared from those beady eyes and Umbridge eventually spoke.

Her smile was bright and bewildering as Holly carefully stepped further away from the teacher. Umbridge gestured to a small desk right beside a bookcase. About five feet away sat a massive desk with a large pink chair. Umbridge sat behind the desk and took a deep breath before politely saying, "I would like you to sit in the desk in the corner and write lines for me, Miss Potter. I will be willing to overlook that horrid statement about Mr. Fudge if you finish your detention without complaining."

Holly, with a strong sense of rebellion building inside her, sat down and picked up the plain brown quill with great difficulty. There was a large, blank piece of parchment next to the quill, so Holly pulled it closer and mumbled, "What will I be writing, Professor?"

Umbridge smiled and let out a giggle before saying, "You must understand that lies can cause such big problems, Miss Potter. You and Professor Dumbledore, as good as your intentions might be, have caused mass terror and paranoia because of your lies. And even now, despite the serious consequences you face, you still insist on producing lies and nasty behavior. I wish you to write: _I must not tell lies."_

Holly's hand gripped the quill so tightly that she was surprised it didn't snap beneath the pressure. _You can't get expelled,_ she thought, _you can't cause even more trouble for Dumbledore._ She kept mentally repeating the words until she believed them. Then she let out a forced breath before sharply asking, "How many times do I write the line?"

Umbridge gave another smile as she replied sweetly, "As long as it takes before the message sinks in, dear."

Holly stared at the woman with annoyance before she exasperatedly said, "You haven't given me any ink."

"Oh, Miss Potter," The woman replied, "The quill will work fine without ink."

Holly sighed hotly before bending over the parchment. She quickly scratched the line onto the paper and was just beginning to write the line a second time when the back of her hand abruptly felt as if it was on fire. With piercing pain shooting jagged shards across her skin, she dropped the quill and cradled her hand across her chest. A choked gasp left her lips as she pulled her hand away from her chest. Her heart missed a single beat when she saw the harsh red words carved into her skin, just below the knuckles of her fingers. _I must not tell lies. I must not tell lies. I must not tell lies._ Rage filled up her mind until there was no logical thought left inside of her. Holly jumped up from the desk with her fists clenched at her sides. She could feel the throbbing pain in her right hand, but she didn't unclench her fingers. She could hear an odd sound coming out of her throat; it was almost like a growl. Umbridge kept that calm, polite smile on her face as she asked, "Is something the matter, Miss Potter?"

Holly only continued to stare with hatred in her glittering green eyes.

Umbridge slowly asked, "Do you understand me now, Miss Potter? Do you understand what is to be done?"

Holly gave a smile, but this one was not nearly as polite as Umbridge's smile. Holly's voice was shaky with rage as she answered, "Yes. I understand perfectly now."

Umbridge interpreted the student's quivering as a sign of fear. That was the first mistake Umbridge made with Holly Potter, although she was unaware of it. The air was thick with animosity as Umbridge gestured to the door and said, "You may leave now. Have a good night."

Holly stalked out the office and slammed the door closed behind her. The sound of it echoed sharply down the darkened corridor. _This is war,_ she thought wildly, _this is war and she is now an enemy. She is just as dark as Voldemort. This is now war._

She was so consumed with her own emotions that she didn't see Severus Snape until it was too late. When she saw him a few feet ahead of her, walking in her direction, she halted abruptly. She had no time to hide her expression. The anger was so close to the surface that she felt as if she was about to burst out of her own skin. Her heart was pounding and her head was aching. His sharp eyes took in all details as he quietly demanded, "What is wrong?"

Holly was too angry to notice the hard, protective note to his voice. She had no idea how to verbalize her pain and fury, so she simply held out her hand. She watched him as he took a lunging step forward. For a single second, she thought he might attack her, but he carefully wrapped his long fingers around her wrist and asked, "This injury just occurred, Holly?"

She muttered, "Yes."  
He brushed a thumb over her wound and she winced with a quiet gasp. He looked up and his pale face was expressionless once again. He said, "Come with me."

She did as he commanded and followed silently to the dungeons. Once inside his office, he shut the door with a quiet clicking sound and instructed, "Sit down and hold out your hand. Stay as still as you possibly can."

Holly had carried suspicions and theories about Snape's behavior toward her ever since she heard his conversation with Dumbledore in the clothing shop months before. Most of the time, she believed Snape hated her and only protected her out of loyalty to Dumbledore. Sometimes, like the instances when he gave her Dreamless Sleep Draughts or healed her blistering sunburn, she believed he might actually care about her welfare. And there had been times Holly was sure that Snape was nothing more than a Death Eater whom was tricking Dumbledore. Now, she watched the man of her thoughts and dreams softly touch her wounded hand. It was then that she had another warm moment that made her think Snape truly did care about her.

He cautioned, "This might burn."

Holly watched in fascination as Snape cradled her wrist with one hand and dabbed a clear liquid on her wound with his other hand. It did burn, but that pain was bearable in comparison to the ever-constant headaches. Snape's black hair was falling forward and forming a curtain, preventing her from seeing the focused expression on his face. She could feel the tingling sensation radiating up her arm as Snape poured another potion onto her wound.

His voice was hardly more than a whisper as he suddenly asked, "Did these words appear anywhere else on your body?"

"No," She replied, "I don't think so."

She was distracted by the soothing warmth of his fingers as they diligently worked on her hand. Several silent minutes passed before Snape dropped her hand and stepped back. He met her gaze and an undeniable emotion flickered through his eyes before he instructed, "Come back tomorrow, perhaps after lunch, and I will try to minimize the scar tissue. I doubt I will be able to completely erase the damage done, though."  
Holly shrugged and whispered, "I think I will keep the scar, Professor. Thank you for healing me."

She stood up and slowly walked to the door. Snape followed her, but she didn't bother turning around. If he wanted to speak to her, Holly knew he would. They only made it halfway down the corridor before Snape asked, "Why do you wish to keep the scar, Miss Potter?"

"Because," Holly replied as they came to the end of the corridor, "I want a reminder of the evil that is in the world, so I can remember to be more aware than I was tonight."

She started to walk up the staircase leading to the next floor when she turned and added, "I liked it better when you called me by my first name, Professor."

Snape's face was expressionless, but she expected it to be. It was his eyes that showed every emotion he felt. His voice was as hard as granite as he said, "I'm sure I did not call you by your first name, Miss Potter."

"You did, sir," She softly explained, "When you grabbed my wrist outside of Umbridge's office and asked me if the wound was fresh."

Snape stared at her so deeply and for so long that Holly's heart was hammering in her chest with an anxious happiness. He spoke in a firm voice, "Go to bed, Miss Potter. And stay out of trouble with Dolores Umbridge at all costs."

He seemed to hesitate before he quietly added, "I cannot protect you from her without exposing things that are better left hidden."

He strode off and Holly watched as his billowing cape disappeared around the corner of the corridor. As she made her way to the common-room, she felt as if she was in a daze. It was only after she laid in her bed that her thoughts came together in clarity. It was like a blind man seeing a bursting sunrise for the first time. Soft oranges and blushing pinks. Lilac purples and brilliant reds. So beautiful that words couldn't accurately describe the emotion behind the situation. She was a swimmer breaking through the cold ocean water and getting that first breath of air she was so starving for. She was no longer confused. She felt alive and strong, despite the hardships she had faced to get to this point. Severus Snape cared about her. He secretly strived to protect her, as he had just admitted. She didn't know why, but it didn't matter. She was too busy soaking in relief and revelations. Severus Snape protected her.

Holly realized now that she had been plagued with the horror of Snape's possible hatred because she loved him. She was comforted by the fact that he returned her feelings, if only by the smallest degree. As she thought on, she admitted that it was bizarre that she felt such strong feelings for a man over who was probably close to twenty years older than her, but the feeling of absolute joy was too wonderful to be diminished. Holly fell asleep with a soft smile on her face and happiness in her heart. Voldemort and nightmares couldn't touch her that night.

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 **AN:** Important moment for my Sev and Holly. I would ** love **to hear what you have to say about this chapter. Show me some love if you have time. **Thanks.** Taytay123456:)


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** _Extremely important chapter. Thank you for reading and reviewing. My number of readers have increased!_

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Two days later, Holly found herself deep underneath the castle, tucked away in the comforting cold, damp air of the dungeons. Her Occlumency lessons had decreased considerably since her slip up during the summer, but Snape still contacted her- through letter or detention- to conduct a lesson twice a month. It was nearing the end of May and she was sure this would be her last, maybe her second to last, Occlumency lesson.

She set her satchel on her usual desktop and glanced around the familiar room. Snape was at his desk, hunched over a stack of papers and writing in long, elegantly drawls. He didn't look up when she entered, but she hadn't expected him to. She watched as his long black hair swished forward and covered his eyes. She wondered if his hair tickled his nose like hers did when she hunched over her textbooks. Pulling an elastic band from her robe pocket, she pulled her hair up and formed a knot on top of her skull. She was sure it looked dreadful, but she was too used to the damp sweat that drenched her body every time she participated in one of these lessons. She had learned the hard way that stringy hair only managed to get yanked through her trembling hands when her mind was being poked and prodded.

Snape's deep voice suddenly drawled dryly, "Are you adequately prepared for your lesson, Miss Potter?"

Holly gulped and replied, "I doubt it, sir. That isn't to say I haven't attempted to clear my mind."

Snape's lips moved as if he had sighed, but if he had the sound was too quiet for Holly's ears to hear. He stood and raised a perfectly dark eyebrow before saying, "One should stay aware of their limitations and failures. I daresay you should do well to remember that. Unlikely, but perhaps you will lose some of your arrogance by recognizing that a person as grand as you can still fail."

Holly felt angry words pool in her mouth. She came so close to shouting, so close that her mouth opened and she just barely managed not to utter a sound before snapping her jaws closed. She tightly asked, "Are we to start now, sir?"

Snape's pale face never changed expression, but she was captured by its stunning characteristics anyway. He was pale, far paler than health should allow, and he had quite a few lines running along his eyes. His cheeks were wonderfully angular and his chin was proud and sharp. His lashes were long, full, and curiously dark against his pale complexion. His nose was the most dominant feature that most people noticed. It was all straight, harsh lined and slightly hooked at the end. She thought it suited him well and added to the mystical, rugged, not-quite-beautiful attraction of Snape.

She was focusing on his thin lips, sadly forever in a sneer, when he cast the spell. Holly gasped, attempted to pull back. _No, no, no! Get out of my mind. Get out._ The crystalized mental wall was flimsy; she knew it even as she forced herself to attempt his attacks. She wasn't focused. It was impossible. There was nothing for her to touch, to grab. Her mind was everywhere. Her mind was on his facial features. Her emotions were scattering her thoughts like gems smashing and rolling across a smooth surface. Snape tore passed the pitiful excuse of defense and was instantly soaked in Holly's most treasured and secret dreams. There was one floating about, torn to jagged shreds, but somewhat understandable. An image of Sirius with a rugged smile and a barking laugh at the breakfast table at Grimmauld Place. An image of Remus in his threadbare clothes and a tired smile on his face while happily discussing magical creatures with Hermione, Ron, and Holly.

There was a short, flittering film of Dumbledore as he allowed Holly to weep at his side following the Triwizard Tournament. She wept in ugly, broken sobs as Dumbledore quietly spoke of Voldemort's cruelty and Holly's bravery. The images swirled madly, but Holly was now powerless to fight them. She weakened and what little shield she had managed gave way wholly. Pictures and voices blended together so quickly that neither Snape or Holly could make sense of it all, but the faces of numerous Weasley members zipped through her mind and into his. The sound of the twins' laughter mingled with Ginny's chuckling and Ron's irritated retorts.

Just abruptly as it began, the images slowed and disappeared to be replaced with blue shadows and a slow, comforting voice. Her Snape's nimble hands wrapped around her waist and his voice continuously whispered, "You are safe with me."

Even as the real life Snape yanked viciously from her mind she could still hear his enchanting voice echo inside of her mind. _You are safe with me. You are safe with me._

Her butt hit the stone floor with a hard impact. She gasped and scrambled to her feet as quickly as possible. She blinked to in an attempt to stop the dizziness from taking over. It took several seconds before she could properly see the seething, pacing form of her professor. His voice was nothing less than a knife intent on killing as he hissed, "Do you find it comical to impart such vile images into my mind?"

"N-No." Holly stuttered and hated herself for it. She took a deep, steadying breath and said, "I tried to block you. I built a shield, but it wasn't enough to keep you out."

"Of course it wasn't!" Snape burst out in spiting fury, "You are a child. A foolish, overly emotional, weak-natured Gryffindor. There is no way you could successfully best me."

"Then why bother?!" She exploded in a screeching rage. Her vision was coated in violent red as she took lunging steps forward with her wand gripped in her hand. She was too angry to realize he could hurt her in a second. He was powerful. He was furious. He was Snape. He could hurt her, but he wouldn't. She demanded, "Why bother with these lessons, why humiliate me and yourself if you don't believe I can learn?"

Snape seemed to calm as Holly raged on. It was almost as if she was challenging his rage and taking the brunt of the emotion. His voice was its characteristically deep and quiet tone as he said, "You have managed with slight success. I doubt there is much more a person like you can learn of mind magic. Head to your dormitory now."

Holly whirled around, yanked her satchel off of the desktop, slung it over her shoulder, and stomped out of the classroom. She made sure to sling the door closed with a jolting slash of her wand. Under other circumstances, Snape would have swooped down on her like a bird of prey and attacked with even more foul-tipped words. If this had been a year before, Snape would have taken any and every opportunity in docking House points, assigning detentions, or banning Holly from Quidditch.

The truth was too horrifying to meet. The truth was cold, ugly, and cruel. In a year, the fundamental aspect of Snape's life seemed to be changing. He couldn't fully comprehend how or why. Perhaps that was a lie. He knew _why_ he was changing, but not _how._ Damnit. It was another one out of infinite sleepless nights in Severus Snape's life. It was not the first in which he laid awake while obsessively thinking of Holly Potter and war, but it was certainly the first in which he found himself actively craving thoughts of her just to bring him some mediocre sense of contentment.

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The next week passed without incident from Umbridge, although Snape caught Holly staring openly on more than one occasion during class time. He never bothered to mention her gawking at him, so she assumed he wasn't angry with her. If he was angry, Holly was sure he would have no problems letting her know. It was odd to her, though, that he suddenly quit commenting on her mistakes when she was brewing potions. Although, he had embarrassed her by loudly announcing to the classroom that her lack of vocabulary showed within her writing. When he passed by and slapped her graded essay on the tabletop, she felt greatly annoyed and sad all at once.

She had glanced at the red marks and nearly fallen out of her chair when she saw that Snape had given her an eighty percent passing grade. Eyes wide, she smacked Hermione on the shoulder and passed her the essay. Hermione's shock face morphed into an excited grin. Holly snatched the essay back and happily followed her two friends to the Great Hall for lunch. It was Friday afternoon and Holly was looking forward to a long weekend of laziness. She was listening to Ron excitedly explain about the bet he had with Fred and George. The bet was based off of a game of Quidditch the brothers had participated in, which was a thing Holly missed terribly. Umbridge had banned all clubs and sports at the very beginning of the term; Dumbledore had little say in the matter. The year had been full of sickness and frustration for her; Quidditch wasn't even there as a source of happiness anymore. Because she didn't want to think of Umbridge or the lack of Dumbledore's presence within the castle, she ignored Ron and looked up at the teacher's table. She was hoping to catch a glimpse of Snape.

Dumbledore's large chair was empty, but a few teachers were scattered along their table. Professor Sprout was eating and talking to Professor McGonagall while Professor Flitwick was quietly laughing at a group of Hufflepuffs joking around their table. Holly knew, from continuous observation over the school year, that Snape was on lunch duty every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. _Where was he? Why wasn't he sitting at his usual spot, directly on the left side of Dumbledore's chair?_ Feeling overly disappointed, Holly excused herself from the table and left the Great Hall. She felt empty-handed without her satchel and textbooks, but she had dumped her supplies off before going to eat. Her wand was tucked safely inside her robe pockets; she was tempted to go find a private spot by the Great Lake and practice a few charm spells.

She was wandering aimlessly around the third floor when she decided she could go to the dormitory, take the last Dreamless Sleep Draught she had, and sleep peacefully throughout the night. This way she could properly avoid Hermione's knowing gaze and Ron's overly eager willingness to talk. She turned around and was passing by Professor McGonagall's office when she heard a shrill voice. "Severus passed the message along only moments before; Death Eaters are attacking. You must join us now! Dumbledore has called all but Flitwick. He is to stay at Hogwarts and watch over Holly."  
Holly's body felt as if it was shockingly incased in ice. The blood in her veins frozen and her skin hardened as her heart stopped. The high-pitched voice belonged to Remus Lupin. A painful tug at her heart suddenly broke the icy spell on her body. Her heart began to pound and dread oozed itself over her skin like slime. Holly listened as McGonagall replied hurriedly, "I will go through the Floo Network in Dumbledore's office. I will be there in less than ten minutes."

In a desperate rush, Holly hid behind the nearest knight of armor and watched as Professor McGonagall came out of her office and briskly walk down the corridor. Holly's thoughts raced as quickly as her feet as she ran down the opposite corridor. She passed numerous people, but ignored them all. She knew only three ways to get to Dumbledore's office, and only one was short enough to allow her to get to the office before McGonagall.

She had been in physical shape due to Quidditch, but she was still gasping for breath by the time she reached the gargoyle statue at the bottom of the passage to Dumbledore's office. She gasped, "Acid Pops, Cockroach Clusters, Sherbet Lemon, Treacle Fudge, Pumpkin Pasties-"

She stumbled onto the stairs once the massive stone statue had moved out of her way. She was jumping with anxiety and over-brimming with fear as the spiraling stone stairs went upward. The stairs spun in a languid circle, which made it feel as if time was trying to go backward instead of forward. She felt a cold sweat sliding down her spine as she muttered, "Come on. Come _on."_

When the stone stairs finally quit moving, she bolted forward and opened the double doors to the headmaster's office. She closed the doors quickly before frantically looking around. It seemed only seconds passed when she heard the muffled sound of grinding stone. Eyes wide, Holly dove forward and crawled underneath Dumbledore's grand mahogany desk. She was still gasping for breath, so she focused wholeheartedly on calming her pounding heart as the muffled grinding noise came to a stop.

She put her hand over her mouth in an attempt to quiet her breathing as she heard light footfalls. The door was hurriedly opened and shut. She heard the pattering footsteps as Professor McGonagall ran across the room. There was a moment of silence and Holly strained her ears. Professor McGonagall's sharp voice suddenly called out, "The Ministry of Magic!"

Holly heard a loud whooshing noise, followed by a dull thudding. She waited only a moment longer before darting out from underneath the large desk. She went straight toward the fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo powder with her left hand, while whipping her wand out of the pocket of her robe with her right hand. She didn't slow down to give herself time to think logically. _Severus, Severus, Severus._ She chanted his name in her mind in a constant pattern. She opened her mouth and loudly said, "The Ministry of Magic!" With a flick of her hand the dark powder fell to the ground and created a startling burst of bright green flames. For a long moment, she felt the strong heat of flames dancing around her. All she could see was green, and all she could hear was the roaring fire.

Abruptly, the sound and color died away with the flames. Her knees hit the hard floor and she almost cried out at the sharp, biting pain climbing up her legs. Holly was left blinking in quick recession in a desperate attempt to give her eyes time to adjust to her dark surroundings. She realized quickly that her robes were tattered along the sleeves, which left dangling piece of fabric catching on her wand. Gripping her wand tightly, Holly shrugged out of her dirty robes until she was left in only her Hogwarts uniform. Feeling less restricted, she scuttled to her feet and stepped out of the fireplace. She immediately noticed that she was inside of a massive room. In the dim light, she could make out towering ebony fireplaces all along the right and left side of the lengthy, widespread corridor

To her left the room expanded until it was in a giant circular formation. Directly in the middle of the circle room stood a statue that looked as if it stood over twelve feet high. She could faintly hear the tinkling sound of running water, so she assumed the statue was likely a fountain as well. To her right was a continuation of the wide corridor. She squinted, but only saw more dark shapes that resembled more fireplaces. Biting her bottom lip, she anxiously looked both ways. She was completely unsure of which way to go. _Where were the Death Eaters? Where was Snape? Remus? McGonagall? Dumbledore? If the headmaster had called all of his closest allies, would that mean Sirius was here too? And what about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley?_

"Snape," She whispered, "Where are you?"

There was a sudden scream. It was so earsplittingly loud that Holly felt her heart jump up her throat. Her breath left her in one large exhale and her hands trembled as she turned to run down the corridor.

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 **AN:** _Cliff-hanger._ _The next chapter is a favorite among my proof-readers;) Actually, it is one of my top five favorite chapters out of the 75,000 words I've written so far._ _I will post early, on Wednesday, if I receive four or five Reviews. If not, thank you anyway and I will post Sunday as usual. Taytay123456:)_


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** _I am obsessed with this chapter. There is so much...love...and hate. Thanks to all who read and the select few who Review:)_

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There was a sudden scream. It was so earsplittingly loud that Holly felt her heart jump up her throat. Her breath left in one large exhale and her hands trembled as she turned to run down the corridor. Her feet made echoing slaps, but she didn't care. She could feel the blood pumping in her veins. Feel the bitter taste of fear in her mouth, but she kept running. The further she made it down the dark hallway, the more sounds she heard. Cursing. Screaming. Crashing. Explosions. She was getting closer.

 _I have to save him,_ she thought in a surprisingly calm manner. _No matter what, I have to save Severus. I need to save all of them._

It was as if she was having another moment of clarity. Suddenly, she knew what she needed to do. What she had to do. A thick layer of resolve coated her insides as she kept running. An unexplainable shield began to wrap around her mind. It was magic, but not the wizarding kind. She felt sturdy and stronger as she gripped her wand and hastily rounded the corner of the corridor. By following the sharp noises of battle, she went through a lofty archway and raised her wand high into the air. She didn't let the terrifying scene distract her as she pointed her wand at the nearest dark-cloaked, masked person. She screamed, _"Stupefy!"_

The slim stranger fell with a crash and lay completely still. She darted forward, kicked the Death Eater's wand far away and ducked behind the nearest object. It was much brighter in this room, so it was easy for her to spot Remus and Sirius about ten feet away. Sirius had a frenzied look of satisfaction on his face as he bellowed curse after curse at the group of Death Eaters along the right side of the room. Remus seemed to be focused, concentrating deeply as he yelled Stunning spells at every Death Eater coming from behind him.

Holly glanced around the large pile of rubble she was hiding behind and saw McGonagall and a young woman with bright pink hair throwing Stunning spells and curses. They were somewhat hidden behind a broken statue, but the Death Eaters were closing in and throwing savage curses. They looked eerie. All of them wore hideous masks and cloaks in midnight black; hoods were drawn over the heads. They hid their faces, which made them seem more like monsters and less like humans. Holly hid back beneath the rubble and focused her gaze on the broken turret Remus and Sirius were using as protection. She watched as Remus yanked Sirius down and out of the line of fire. A jet of purple sparks shot just over their heads and smashed violently into the wall, which caused a shower of jagged stone to come hurtling toward the floor.

She peeked her head around the pile of rubble until she was watching McGonagall and the woman with the pink hair once again. They were both fighting valiantly, but they were in a terrible spot. There was not enough room to maneuver and if they moved too far they were in a direct line of fire. She heard a loud shout, so she whirled around and noticed the look of panic cross Remus's sweaty face. He and Sirius were hurling spells without precision now. The large group of Death Eaters had split in half. One side was breaking away and heading straight for the girls on the other side of the room. The second half stayed where they were and continued to push forward and attack Sirius and Remus. Her chest tightened with terror. Those were her Dad's best friends. She took a deep breath, fully intending to run across the ten feet of space separating herself from Remus and Sirius, but a familiar voice stopped her.

Snape's deep and normally quiet voice rang out with an air of absolute authority as he called, _"Stupefy! Crucio! Confringo!"_

Gasping, Holly looked around the rubble and saw him. His black eyes were gleaming with disdain and his expression was one of grim determination. Beside him, every bit as impressive, were Alastor Moody and Albus Dumbledore. Moody was throwing out Unforgivable curses in a rough voice, but she was not shocked about that. She watched as Dumbledore and Moody both ran to the left, toward the girls. She watched Dumbledore throw out wordless spells, but she was completely stunned to watch a wall of purple flames appear from his wand and leap at the Death Eaters. She heard the terrible screams and watched as several of them tripped over their own feet to run away from the attacking flames.

Focusing back on Snape, she felt a jolt of surprise to see him darting toward her pile of rubble. He was throwing out wordless spells now, but she couldn't move her frantic eyes away from his figure to see which spells he was casting. He was graceful, in a very savage way, as he artfully flicked his slim wrist and tossed out dazzling colors of death from his wand. He was beautiful, but in a harsh and damaged way. Snape moved his wrist and threw one last wordless spell before ducking behind the pile of rubble. It was then that he noticed Holly. Within the span of half a second, his wand was raised and his mouth opened as if he was about to cast a spell to end her life.

"It's me!" She panted breathlessly, "It's just me, Snape."

Black eyes roamed across her small figure. His expression melted from surprise to heated anger. He snarled, "What in the hell are you doing here, Potter?"

She shook her head and desperately stated, "I couldn't stay away."

Snape hissed in disgust, "You are stupid. So damn stupid, Potter! Come with me."

He gripped her arm painfully and instructed sharply, "Throw out Stunning spells and move as quickly as possible. If a Death Eater is too close, you get behind me. Make it to the cover of that turret. Make it to Lupin and Black no matter what."  
Holly nodded, although she had no intention of leaving Snape to fend for himself. Nor would she hide behind him and allow him to take the brunt of a spell. She wasn't a coward and she certainly couldn't allow another person to get harmed in an attempt to save her. With determination, she allowed him to drag her out from the pile of rubble. The second their bodies were out in the open Holly began shouting spell after spell almost as fast as bullets from a gun. Snape wasn't speaking, but dark gray streaks of lightning kept flying from his wand and striking Death Eaters. It seemed to knock some unconscious, while others would get to their feet and continue flinging curses at them.

When she heard Sirius and Remus shouting in outrage and panic, she realized they now noticed her with Snape. She didn't have time to look for them because she was still throwing Stunning spells at various Death Eaters, although few were actually getting hit. Most were simply diving behind jagged stones to avoid her. Quite suddenly, a Death Eater about fifteen feet away came hurtling into the open and shouted, " _Confringo!"_

A thin jet of orange flames shot across the room as Snape slammed his back into her, effectively pushing her out of the way of the flames. In that infinite moment, she watched in horror as the greedy fingers of the fire caught Snape across the chest. She screamed as if she were the one wounded, although she wasn't aware of it. All she could smell was the horrid odor of burnt flesh crawling its way down her throat and nose. All she could feel was the trembling body of Severus Snape. Despite the injury, he seemed to be more worried for Holly. He yanked on her small body and abruptly shoved her with a mighty heave. She was propelled forward and she would have face-planted on the marble floor had Sirius not darted away from the turret and caught her in his arms. As fast as a snake's strike, Sirius had his arms around Holly and was pulling her the last few feet until she was safely behind their turret. He didn't bother helping Snape.

She struggled immediately as Snape came limping forward. She screamed, "Let go of me, Sirius! He needs cover! He needs help! Sirius, let me go!"

Remus ran passed them and away from the protection of the battlement wall, throwing spells as he went. He grasped Snape around his waist and pulled them both forward. She could see that Snape had one arm curled around his bloody chest while the other was blindly flinging spells toward the barricade of Death Eaters. The men were stumbling and feebly attempting to throw out defensive spells. Heart in her throat, she broke one arm free from Sirius's hold and shouted, _"Protego!"_

A clear, yet shimmering shield wrapped around Remus and Snape like a bubble. She watched with weakening relief as green and red sparks bounced off of her shield. It took another long second before both men were safely tucked behind the broken turret. Snape pushed at Remus and snarled, "I didn't ask for your help, Lupin!"

"He saved your life, so shut your yap!" Sirius spat out angrily before turning to Holly and gripping her shoulders. His dark brown eyes were wide with adrenaline as he asked, "How did you get here, Holly?"

"Dumbledore's office." She gasped, "I followed McGonagall."

"Brilliant." Sirius laughed shortly, "Simple and brilliant. Now we fight."

"Not brilliant," Snape hissed from the ground, "She has put herself directly into the hands of the Dark Lord by coming here."

A shower of green light suddenly flew over their heads and smashed into the wall behind them. Holly dove down and felt a stinging sensation slice across her knee. It was followed by wetness dripping down her leg. She smelled the rustic odor of blood and knew that she had cut her knee open. She glanced up and saw both Sirius and Remus throwing out curses. She heard Sirius bellow, "Where is Albus?!"

Holly shouted, "He was helping McGonagall and Moody."

She turned away from them and noticed the slumped over figure of Snape. His robes were ripped down the front and she might have been stunned by his bare chest had he not been covered in blood. With the bitter taste of terror upon her tongue, she scrambled across the dusty floor and frantically asked, "What do I do? How do I stop the bleeding? How do I heal your burns?"

He looked alert, but pain was beginning to cloud his eyes. His bloody hand was gripping his wand so tightly that his knuckles were stark white in color. She felt her chest heaving with the effort to breathe as pressure pushed down on her ribcage. She ran a hand through her messy hair and demanded, "Tell me what spell to use, Snape!"

He held up his wand and pointed it at his own chest. She scraped her bleeding knees as she scooted across the rock-ridden floor, but she didn't care. All she cared about was the trickles of blood dripping down Snape's broad chest. She could feel the panic attacking her throat, cutting off her ability to breathe. Her injuries didn't matter, she realized, only Snape did. He didn't speak, but he must have cast a spell because some of the deeper blisters were diminishing. Pale skin was gluing itself back together and the raw redness was fading. She nearly sobbed with relief as she reached out and brushed her fingertips across his chest.

"It's working," She stated in a croaky voice, "Keep it going."

She looked up from his chest and was instantly caught in his dark eyes. He looked at her so steadily and so intensely that she felt a pull from deep within her stomach. All the sounds of battle ceased for an instant. And then the moment was gone. He broke eye-contact and sat up slowly. Holly's hands hovered by his side in case he needed physical support.

She heard as Remus shouted, "She's here, Albus! Holly is here! Come quickly!"

She looked up and watched as Albus Dumbledore came briskly walking across the room. Behind him, battling on, were Moody, McGonagall and the pink-haired woman. Dumbledore wasn't looking at the Death Eaters at all, but he somehow sent the walls of purple flames chasing them without even using his wand. She glanced at Sirius and Remus a few feet to her right. They both wore grim expressions, but Sirius seemed far too happy to be participating in a battle.

She looked down and saw Snape's gaze trained on Dumbledore too. She touched his shoulder and asked, "Are you alright now, sir?"

An unexpected jet of red sparks flew over their heads and collided with a towering marble statue. There was a deafening _crack_ followed by a heart-stopping shower of large slabs of marble. One piece, about the size of a baseball, hit her in the forearm. There was a blinding pain that made her breathlessly try to scream, but it was quickly followed by icy numbness. She wasn't sure if she cried out because all Holly could hear was the sound of breaking marble. The top part of the statue came tumbling down, but Snape grabbed Holly before she had time to react. He shoved on her thin shoulders so hard that she lost her breath as she soared backward. Snape must have lost his footing because he landed on top of her. Her head was throbbing from the swift impact her skull made when she met the marble floor, but she still noticed Snape's close proximity.

He stayed on top of her, acting as a shield to protect her from the falling marble. She could feel the sickening vibrations of marble hitting the floor and she sobbed with the desperation of wanting to know Remus and Sirius were unharmed. She could smell the rustic stench of blood coming off of Snape's bare chest. His legs were spread across hers, his chest pressed tightly to hers, his arms pinning hers to her side, and her head tucked beneath his neck.

The roaring sounds finally died away and there was a ringing silence as the dust settled. Snape sat up and then his body weight was gone. Holly attempted to move as well, but fell short. She let out a choked sob at the feeling of jolting pain crawling up her right arm. Glancing down, she saw an alarming dark purple bruise spreading across her arm like a stain. She tried to move her fingers and more blinding pain traveled all the way to her shoulder. She decided it was pointless to try healing the injury herself. Looking up, she saw Snape hurriedly inspecting the huge pillar-like statue that was now blocking their path back to their allies. Her voice was weak and raspy as she said, "Snape, I need you."

A small part of her was surprised at her choice of words, but the majority of her knew what she said was the biggest truth of all. So she waited until Snape slowly turned around. His face lacked emotion as he knelt beside her and trained his dark eyes on her broken arm. He pointed his wand and began to chant in such a quiet voice that Holly didn't catch the words. After a moment, she watched as the purple bruise began to fade. With it, the pain faded as well. Once the injury was healed, Snape turned to her bleeding knee. He healed it in the same way that he healed her arm before standing. He opened his mouth and started to say, "I'm going to-"

 _"Flipendo!"_ A high-pitched voice screeched.

Snape's lips curled in disgust a second before his body was slung backwards. His back hit the broken statue and he fell in a crumpled pile to the ground. Holly scrambled to her feet and screamed angrily, _"Stupefy! Confringo! Expelliarmus!"_

The woman standing before Holly magically blocked every spell. She was a Death Eater; despite the fact she no longer wore the mask. Her black hair was wild and flowing in every direction possible. Her face was beautiful and hideous at the same time. She had wide brown eyes, but they were filled with madness. Her lips were full and perfectly bow shaped, but they were upturned in a cold smirk. Her angular face would have been as pretty as a porcelain doll if not for the ice-cold hate coating her features.

She giggled wildly and asked, _"You_ are the famous Holly Potter? Do you think cute spells such as those would actually harm me? Tut, tut. You need more practice, Holly Potter."

Holly thought she heard the muffled screaming of Sirius coming from the other side of the marble pillar, but she couldn't be sure. She was distracted when Snape abruptly launched to his feet and shouted, _"Confundus!"_

The spell was designed to confuse an enemy, but Holly instantly knew that this Death Eater wasn't disoriented at all. She had deflected yet another spell. The madwoman growled like a dog and bared her teeth as she screeched, "How dare you?! You think you're so special, Severus! You think you're so talented and witty! You are nothing! You're so caught up in your own lies that you don't know who you are anymore!"

She flung the tip of her gnarled wand in his direction and spittle flew from her mouth as she yelled, _"Crucio!"  
_ Snape was already casting another spell as well, but the Unforgivable curse tore across the room too swiftly. Holly froze in stunned terror as the spell hit Snape. The expression that crossed his face chilled her heart in mid-beat. She felt so brittle like she might break at any moment. Snape's eyes were overflowing with agony. He looked pleadingly at her and Holly found such an emotion to be wrong on a proud man like him. His body bent in an impossible shape until his chest was exposed and his head was thrown back. His arms dangled at his sides as his entire body tensed up like he had grabbed an electrical wire. His mouth opened and the most dreadful, skin-crawling sound tore from his throat.

Later, Holly wouldn't be able to recall the details of her thoughts. She wouldn't be able to explain why she did what she did. Now, in one defining moment, she felt more alive than she had since the Triwizard Tournament nearly a full year before. The sound of Snape's agony was ripping mercilessly through her body. It clawed at her heart and bit at her internal organs, effectively thawing the cold terror inside of her. An emotion so full, so hot, and fierce came flooding through her system. The feeling was beyond understanding, but it powered her into action. Snape's horrid guttering screams fueled the deathly fire taking over her body. She whirled away from him and faced her enemy. The madwoman was cackling in glee as she tapped her wand and sent Snape into another round of piercing screams.

Holly heard a loud grinding noise from behind her, but she ignored it completely. Nothing else mattered but stopping Snape's pain. Nothing mattered but the thing hurting him. Holly would protect him as he had done numerous times for her. She would keep Snape safe. She stepped forward and bellowed piercingly, _"CRUCIO!"_

The forceful impact of her spell sent the Death Eater stumbling backward. Holly lunged forward, hand held ready, as she screamed again, _"CRUCIO!"_

The madwoman's brown eyes widened in pain as she began to screech in an animalistic way. Holly held her wand in a poised position and focused unswervingly. Her expression was one of purpose as she continued to hold the torturing spell on the woman. Behind them, a commotion was taking place. She could hear the sound of spells and grinding stone. She heard a groan and more spell casting. The Death Eater's wide eyes flickered as she stared behind Holly. She let out a half-laugh before saying, "Your band of weak fools is here to save you."

Holly murmured, _"Crucio"_ once more and listened to the screeching cries of the woman. It wasn't until a hand touched her shoulder that she realized somebody was behind her. On either side, in a C shape, appeared her teachers and godfather. She instantly knew that Snape was still behind her. Cold and hurting and bleeding on the dirty floor. The images spurred her hatred even more.

Dumbledore's hand squeezed her hand in a comforting manner as he stood directly to her right and whispered, "Stop this madness, child. You are using an Unforgivable curse."

Anger came bursting out of her as she shouted, "She hurt Snape!"

She shoved Dumbledore's hand away and stepped forward, ignoring those around her. She inflicted more pain on the Death Eater and hissed, _"Crucio!"_

"That's enough, Holly!" Remus yelled over the sound of the madwoman's screams, "Bellatrix is incapacitated. Let us take it from here."

But the Death Eater named Bellatrix was still screaming. Her body was shining with sweat and tears were pouring out of her wide eyes. Sirius attempted to walk forward, but Dumbledore put a restraining hand across his chest and said, "I am afraid Holly isn't in control anymore. She is possessed."

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 **AN:** _*Smiles slowly* Can you guess which part is my favorite? I would like to know your thoughts as well. Thanks._


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** As pitiful as it sounds, I am putting up a chapter because it is only Tuesday and  my week has already been horribly stressful and sharing my writing makes me happy. **ENJOY!**

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 _Sirius attempted to walk forward, but Dumbledore put a restraining hand across his chest and said, "I am afraid Holly isn't in control anymore. She is possessed."_

" _Possessed?"_ Sirius bellowed in outrage, "What are you playing at?"

Dumbledore replied calmly, "I had suspicions, but it seems her Occlumency lessons with Severus did not help protect her as much as we originally thought."

Chilling laughter suddenly filled the room. It came from every direction at once and the room dropped several degrees in temperature in a matter of seconds. Holly murmured, _"Petrificus Totalus."_ Bellatrix dropped to the floor like a stiff piece of wood. Holly whirled around and faced the same direction as Dumbledore and the rest of her allies. A high-pitched voice hissed like a snake from the darkened corner. "Our Holly is not possessed, old man. In fact, she is very much in control of her own actions."

Dumbledore never took his eyes from that corner as he called out, "Show yourself, Tom. Let us discuss this like true men."

He came gliding into the light, but the shadows danced around him as if they were attracted to his very skin. His red eyes flickered around, taking in all details. His slit-pupils focused on Holly as he gave a twisted smile and asked, "How did it feel to inflict pain on an enemy, Holly? How did it feel to be in control of everything in that moment? You have the potential to be powerful, young girl, and I can offer you what is necessary to aid you in growing that potential."

Holly kept her mind and face as blank as possible. She worked to build the mental shield Snape had tried to desperately to teach her. She said nothing. Seconds ticked by and Dumbledore finally spoke in a booming voice, "You don't want to involve a child who is not up to your standards, Tom. You are here for me, so let us get on with it. Let the rest leave and you will have the battle you so crave."

Voldemort laughed hauntingly and the sound caused gooseflesh to break out across Holly's skin. She watched as Voldemort glided even closer, until he was only a couple feet away. He cocked his head to the side and blinked eerily before saying, "Be quiet, old man. I will get to you eventually. I'm talking to the girl right now."

He turned his vicious eyes to Holly once more and said, "I have been watching you torture one of my favorite pets for the last several minutes. I must say, I was a bit surprised to see such a dark trait within you, Holly Potter. They call you the Chosen One. The one who is to defeat me, but I have never seen or heard of any trait remarkable enough to show claim to that until tonight. Perhaps, given the right training, you could have a small portion of power that I possess."

Voldemort paused and then continued, "But that is no matter at the moment. I will give you ample time to decide if you wish to join me while I kill Dumbledore. Before that, though, I am quite curious about one thing. One thing that I found to be most peculiar."

He cocked his head to the side once again and quietly asked, "Why would you save Severus Snape? A treacherous and cruel man such as he is worthy of being saved by the heroic Holly Potter? How very interesting."

That hot fire came bubbling forward until she burst out, "He's better than you think. He's certainly more of a man than you are."  
Voldemort gave a parody of a smile before whirling to Snape, who was still slumped over on the ground. His skin was a sickly gray color and his eyes were bloodshot. Holly could tell that his body was still contracting with muscle spasms from the torturing curse inflicted upon him. Snape's wand was in his hand and his sweaty face was expressionless as he stared up at Voldemort. The Dark Lord pushed a bare foot with talons across Snape's stomach and shoved the man like he was no more than a mangy dog.

Holly took a step forward, but Dumbledore shoved her backward with wordless magic. She stumbled and watched as Voldemort focused on Snape. He laughed, "How cute, Severus. It seems as if you have found friends at Hogwarts. Holly Potter not only saved you from my Bellatrix, but spoke in defense of your character. It seems she fancies you. Some things are bound by fate, don't you think? I, for one, find that Lily Evan's daughter has romantic feelings for Severus Snape to be quite ironic. How about you, old man?"

Voldemort turned his back on Snape and danced back toward Dumbledore and Holly. Voldemort snapped, "I was speaking to you, old man."

Dumbledore's reply was calm and almost bored, "I have never found caring for another person to be ironic at all. Perhaps you should try it, Tom."

Voldemort waved his hand and said, "You always believed in such nonsense. You know, you would have gotten much further in this world if you would have lost that weak heart of yours, Albus."

Dumbledore replied, "On the contrary, my only strength is my compassion."

Voldemort scoffed, "How could you people follow this ignorant oaf?"

"He isn't ignorant," Holly snarled.

Voldemort ceased all movement and she saw Sirius slowly moving closer to her. He came to stand by her shoulder and gripped one of her hands. His body was tense, but he was uncharacteristically quiet. The Dark Lord abruptly laughed and mockingly said, "You do have quite a loyal kid on your side, Albus. Stupid and close to powerless, but definitely loyal. After all, what other child would run to your aid except her?"

The Dark Lord sighed and said, "Loyalty is an admirable quality, Holly, I will give you that much. However, you are ill-equipped for power and are defenseless against the likes of me. I'm unsure what Albus believes he will be able to accomplish with you."

Dumbledore spoke up, "I do believe the time for talking is at an end. Let the rest go, Tom, and deal with me as you so badly want to."

Voldemort gave the slightest nod and Dumbledore slowly reached up and touched his own chest. Holly was unsure what this meant, but it must have had significance to the others because all the adults around her Apparated with loud popping noises. She felt Sirius kiss the side of her temple. He murmured, "You will be okay. Dumbledore will not fail."

Holly blinked and the only people left were Dumbledore, Snape, herself and Voldemort. With a cackling laugh, Voldemort threw up a blinding green light. She watched, numb inside, as a large skull with a protruding snake danced high above the room. It was the Dark Mark. His mark.

"All of your _friends_ left," Voldemort mocked, "How cowardly of them, old man."

"Cowardly is the man who bullies others into submission and forcibly takes what he wants, regardless of who he hurts. This is yet another lesson you never learned."

Instead of answering, Voldemort raised his wand and threw out a thick, putrid green mist. It snaked along the floor as quickly as a Cobra. Dumbledore waved one hand and sent Holly soaring through the air. All she could see were blurs of colors as she flew, but quite abruptly she came to a gentle stop and hovered right above Snape. She hovered only a moment before dropping heavily into his lap. His hands gripped her arms to keep her steady as she scrambled around in a frantic attempt to spot Dumbledore. Fear for the older wizard was choking her as she watched Dumbledore and Voldemort hurl showers of sparks at one another without raising their wands or uttering a single word.

Holly blinked and realized that she and Snape were incased in a bubble of clean air and the putrid mist was skirting right over them. She was horrified and simultaneously amazed as she watched Dumbledore easily deflect a large shower of stones Voldemort sent hurtling his way like deadly missiles. Voldemort hissed with anger and pointed his wand toward a massive stained-glass window toward the very back of the room. Several sharp pieces lay broken on the ground, but now they bolted up off of the floor and came zooming at Dumbledore as quickly as the speed of light. Holly let out a silent scream and struggled against Snape's hold in a feeble attempt to run to Dumbledore's aid.

"Stop this, Holly," Snape whispered urgently in her ear, "Albus knows what he is doing. You mustn't distract either of them."

His forearm was wrapped around her slim waist like a vice and his other arm was flush against the length of her right arm. His long fingers were curled around her wand to prevent her from raising it and casting a spell. He whispered, "Trust Dumbledore. Trust me, Holly. Stay silent and still. Wait until this is over."

He demanded the upmost control of her emotions, but that was no new feat from Severus Snape. Wasn't he usually demanding her to control herself? Even now, in the midst of a war, Snape demanded her to control her emotions. She feverishly wondered how he managed to control his emotions all the time as she watched Dumbledore shoot out a jet of his preferred purple flames. They leapt forward gleefully and were inches from devouring Voldemort when they were doused with fat, acidic raindrops. As the flames spat and hissed their last dying breath, Voldemort smirked and disappeared into a whirlwind of black and gray smoke.

His laughter could be heard echoing around the room as Dumbledore swiftly turned, following the sharp wisps of smoke as it whirled across the room. A sinister whisper sounded right at Holly's ear, "Do you truly think you could ever be free of me, Potter? Did you believe you would have the skill to lock me out of your mind?"

Holly's eyes widened as her heart pounded and she wrapped her fingers around Snape's forearm to maintain some grasp of reality. Images of blood and death and decay had her gasping for breath. She felt piercing pain probing at her temples and she cried out as she fell forward. She heard Snape frantically calling her name, but she couldn't respond. Her dreams were forcing themselves to the forefront of her mind while Voldemort violated every inch of her mind. He saw it all. Her desire. Her love. Long fingers running up her thighs. A deep and quiet voice whispering to her in the dark. Cool, soft bed sheets beneath her and a warm body pressed against her own. Black eyes glittering with secrets and gloom. Quiet laughter and soft conversation suddenly drenched in blood. Drowning herself. Dying. All of the joy sucked straight out of her soul. A hundred times worse than Dementors.

"Stop it!" She shrieked, "Don't hurt him!"

She felt two sets of familiar hands touching her, but their touch was far away and distorted. Images of Snape with his throat slit and pouring red rivers of blood had her gagging. Voldemort's voice skirted inside and outside of her as he hissed, "I would have killed Severus for his treachery to me, but now I know your profound desire for him. He will beg me for death because of you, Potter. He will crawl at my feet and cry for death because of you."

"Fight this, Holly," She heard a sharp note to Dumbledore's voice that she had never heard before. "You are stronger than he is. You are all that Tom is not and that is why you can defeat him. You are loyal and loving, Holly. Those are your greatest strengths and will ultimately be the downfall of Tom Riddle. Fight this, Holly."

Voldemort's cackling laughter echoed from a far distance, yet it sounded as if he was kneeling right beside her. Just as Snape and Dumbledore were. They could both hear the Dark Lord's words and they both knew he was attempting to possess Holly. But they couldn't see the nightmares of hell that he was implanting in her mind. She sobbed and choked and screamed. Her body jolted in quick sessions before slamming violently onto the marble floor as if she were having a seizure.

"The old man is not as truthful as he seems, Potter. His faith in you is as hopeless as your love for Severus Snape. He will never touch you as you dream of him doing. He will never see you as you want him to. He will never love you, Potter, because love is but an illusion."

Underneath the crazed haziness of her pain, Holly grabbed ahold of a gently floating thought. _Snape healing the blisters on her sunburnt neck._ After that, it was like a gate had been opened and golden liquid poured into her mind. _Snape protecting her from a cursed broomstick her first year in school. Snape being one of the teachers who defended her when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. Snape angrily telling Dumbledore that Holly was a child who needed to be protected and not thrown into dangerous situations. Snape who gave her Dreamless Sleep Draughts and hesitantly admitted he was trying to keep her safe from Dolores Umbridge._ Then she pictured the kind smile of Mrs. Weasley and listened to the mischievous laughter of Ron when he had left a Stink Bomb underneath Hermione's bed. She thought of Remus and how happy she had been when he had taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Holly pictured Dumbledore's twinkling eyes and felt the fierce arms of Sirius hugging her.

"NO!" She shouted in a hoarse voice, "You can't take them from me!"

She was met with silence. No voices and no taunts. She could feel the grasp he had on her mind slipping away. Snape firmly said, "Keep pushing him out, Holly. Don't let him win. You're stronger than he is."

 _You don't know love,_ she thought fiercely, _and you never will. You don't know friendship or kindness. You don't understand the importance of family or loyalty. I feel sorry for you, Tom. And you will not defeat me. You will lose._

She heard a piercing cry of rage a moment before it echoed down the corridor and far away from the building. She could hear startled and frightened cries followed by thundering footsteps just moments before people came pouring into the wrecked room. Vision blurry, Holly reached out and latched onto Snape's arm. She blinked heavily and croaked, "Don't leave. Please, don't leave me."

"You're safe now." His voice was hard, "The Dark Lord is gone."

He pulled away from her as people swarmed around her body. She could hear a man brokenly saying, "He's back. He's back. You-Know-Who is back."

Dumbledore's booming voice replied curtly, "That is what I have been trying to tell you for a year now, Cornelius. Unfortunately, much damage has already been done since you have finally come to your senses."

"Well, now, Dumbledore, I…" Cornelius Fudge trailed off and silence followed.

Dumbledore bent down and ran a gentle hand across Holly's forehead. He whispered, "I do believe everyone in this world underestimates you except me, my dear."

Holly groaned at the pain still radiating through her body as Dumbledore scooped her up into his arms. He said, "Sleep now, child. I am bringing you back to the castle now. Cornelius, the first thing I must insist upon is the removal of that dreadful woman from my castle."  
Holly heard Cornelius Fudge stuttered an agreement as she faded into darkness.

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 **AN:** _I could **really ** use some encouragement to ease my tough time, guys. Let me know what you think in a review, whether positive or negative. Please?:( Thanks. Taytay123456_


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** _As always, thank you for the reviews:) And for the many who read:) This chapter has an odd break in the middle, which I apologize for. Nonetheless, Fifth year is ending for Holly._

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She didn't come to consciousness in a disoriented sense. She didn't roll over and groan, slowly blinking until her vision cleared. Instead, Holly sat straight up with a sharp gasp and terror in her heart. The last thing she remembered seeing was Snape's throat slit wide open and Dumbledore's blue eyes, focused and wise. Her hands groped around the bed for her wand, but she came up empty. Her neck was swinging every direction before she realized she was in the Infirmary at Hogwarts. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins like hot lava as she jerked her head up when she caught the sound of footsteps.

She wasn't surprised to see Albus Dumbledore calmly standing right at the foot of her bed. His eyes were solemn. They certainly weren't dancing with amusement and secrets like usual. His silver beard was neatly combed and held together with a thin golden chain. His half-moon spectacles sat perched atop his crooked nose and he was wearing silk robes in his signature midnight purple color. Holly didn't know much about anything, but she was absolutely certain that nobody could make such clothes look as dignified as Dumbledore did.

Her throat felt dry as she croaked, "Voldemort disappeared."

It was a statement, not a question, and she felt relief that Dumbledore understood her. He nodded and gravely replied, "He left, but I am afraid he will be angrier than ever before. You must understand, Holly, that you beat him at his own game for the fifth time. He attempted to possess your soul…and you cast him out."

She shook her head and murmured, "I don't know how I did it."

Dumbledore's lips pulled up in a smile, but he didn't look happy at all. He looked as if he was in mourning as he explained, "Not even I know why you were Chosen to defeat the Dark Lord, Holly. We could drive ourselves mad in attempts of asking ' _why me_ _?'_ What I do know is that you have shown bravery and integrity beyond measure. Voldemort knows nothing of these traits. He doesn't know why a person would die for another. He proved just that when he was speaking last night. He ridiculed you for being loyal, for running to the aid of those you care for. Acts of love confuse him because he knows not how to love."

"I told him that." Holly realized with astonishment, "He was inside of me. He was in my head and I could feel him. I told him that he didn't know love. That he didn't know what was worth fighting for."

She looked up, met his eyes, and said, "I told him that he will never win."

Dumbledore stared at her for a long moment before he whispered, "Let us ensure that he never does. I have complete faith that we will all prevail with your help."

"But _why_ am I so important when it comes to Voldemort?" Holly asked in frustrated exasperation, "He broke the protective magic my mother gave me in her death. He used me to resurrect himself back to power, so why am I still important?"

Dumbledore held up a hand and replied, "I will tell you, despite so many who wish me not to. I do this because these are dark and dangerous times. You are in peril and your life is constantly in danger. I will not be the one to keep valuable information from you. Information that could save you."

Seconds ticked by in silence before he slowly explained, "The Minister of Magic held a Prophecy of Voldemort's downfall. It was made by your Divinations teacher, whom I hired sixteen years ago to teach at Hogwarts. You already know that the Prophecy told of a girl born at the end of June that will defeat him…because I told you of this last year. What you, nor Voldemort knows, is that there is more to the contents of the Prophecy."

Dumbledore sat on the edge of Holly's hospital bed and sighed before saying, "I was the only person in the room when Professor Trelawney gave this prediction. Later, after the Prophecy was recorded and put into a device, it was stored where all Prophecies are stored."

Holly interrupted, "At the Ministry of Magic?"

He nodded before continuing, "Yes. Both unfortunate and fortunate, the only person allowed to touch the device and hear the Prophecy are the people within the Prophecy. Voldemort has spent the majority of the year in attempt to sneak into the Ministry without alerting our world to his presence. I have been keeping close tabs on him through various…allies of mine that are also working for Voldemort. That was how I knew he was going to attempt taking the Prophecy himself."

Holly asked, "So you and everyone else went to stop him? What else was in the Prophecy? You said it holds additional information."

Dumbledore nodded and said, "I went to prevent him from hearing the Prophecy. Professor Trelawney's Prophecy stated that a young girl would have powers that Voldemort would not. It also stated that neither may live while the other is alive."

Holly swallowed heavily and didn't give time to fear for herself. Her voice was hoarse as she asked, "Did Voldemort hear the Prophecy?"

"No," Dumbledore answered, "It was destroyed by me and Alastor Moody."

"Is that why it took you so long to show up to the fight?"

"Yes. Of course, it was difficult to leave those I care for at the hands of Death Eaters, but they were all well aware of the importance of that Prophecy."

"So what was the point in Voldemort needing to hear it?"

He explained, "You have managed to do what no other has ever accomplished. You rendered Voldemort powerless when you were an infant. You have evaded death by his hands on numerous occasions. After he restored his powers last year, he assumed he would finally kill you. After a spectacular escape from you, Voldemort was furious beyond measure. Now, you have evaded him yet again. You used his own mind tricks against him."

Blue eyes met bright green as he quietly said, "Voldemort needed to hear that Prophecy in hopes of discovering how to destroy you, Holly."

The seconds ticked by before Holly cleared her throat and abruptly changed the subject. She asked, "Where were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? Why weren't they at the Ministry of Magic last night?"

"Because," Dumbledore replied, "They were searching for you. Professor Flitwick sent out a distress call by Patronus charm. He couldn't find you and several students saw you running in the direction of my office. Professor Flitwick knew that you had somehow figured out what was happening."

Holly shook her head and strongly stated, "I couldn't stand aside and do nothing. Snape was there. Sirius and Remus and everyone who I couldn't let die."

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling now as he said, "There are many teachers here who are members of what is called the Order of the Phoenix. They are those who are as brave as you are and are willing to fight for the good of the wizarding world. It was those people who aided me last night."

"Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Moody…" Holly's mind was racing as she listed, "Sirius, Remus, that pink-haired girl…"

Dumbledore gave a small smile and said, "She likes to be called Tonks."

Holly blinked and whispered, "Is Snape a part of the Order of the Phoenix?"

Dumbledore nodded and thoughtfully replied, "Yes. I daresay that he is my most loyal friend, although he would be extremely annoyed if he knew I said that."

Her heart was pumping quickly in her chest as she asked, "Why didn't he leave last night? When you gave a signal to everyone else and they Apparated away…"

Dumbledore gave a kind smile and said, "Some would say he was too weak from being touched by the Torturing curse. I say he wished to offer you any protection he could, even if it meant his death."

Holly's voice was filled with wonder as she quietly said, "Snape knew I couldn't Apparate. He knew I would struggle against anyone who would have tried removing me from the room. He knew I would want to stay with you. To fight. _That's_ why he stayed."

Neither spoke as this profound discovery weaved its way through Holly's heart and gave her sweet hope. She wrapped her arms around her middle and hugged herself before finally asking, "Why did Voldemort call Snape a traitor?"

Dumbledore looked at her for an unknown amount of time, but it surely felt like forever. She had no idea what he was trying so hard to find on her face, but he must have found it. He finally said, "A very long time ago, Severus thought he belonged in the Darkness, but he paid gravely for being there and eventually found purpose in the Light. Voldemort didn't realize he had lost a valuable person until last night. Now, he will want his vengeance on his follower."

Holly jumped off of her bed and exclaimed fiercely, "No! It won't happen. I won't let Voldemort touch Snape!"

Dumbledore looked at her thoughtfully before asking, "Does it not bother you that Snape was once Voldemort's follower? A Death Eater in Voldemort's inner circle?"

"No," Holly retorted in defense. She wasn't thinking logically. Her heart was too filled with Snape. She took a deep breath and began to pace before she turned to Dumbledore and spoke in a shaky voice, "People lose their way. People make mistakes. He came to you. You said he's your friend, so how could you judge him for his past?"

He smiled and softly answered, "I don't judge him at all, my child. Indeed, Severus is a good man that the majority of the world doesn't get to see because he doesn't allow them to see. I'm exceptionally happy that you, of all people, can comprehend who he truly is."

She watched as the older wizard stood up and walked toward the doorway. He stopped and said, "Exams are starting tomorrow. In a few days, after the last of your OWLs are completed, you will go back to Privet Drive. The Blood Wards must stay in place as long as they possibly can, although I know it is dreadful to stay with the Dursley family."

Holly huffed as she muttered, "You have no idea, sir."

Dumbledore smiled knowingly and said, "I will have someone collect you halfway through the summer holidays. You will then return to Grimmauld Place for the remainder of the summer."

He paused and his eyes danced with amusement as he added, "Since you were most unfortunate to be burdened with training _Dumbledore's Army_ and participating in so many detentions, I know that left you with little time to study for all your exams…"

She shrugged and mumbled, "Doesn't matter, sir. I found other things more important than tests."

Dumbledore said, "I will allow you to be exempt from one exam of your choosing."

Her eyebrows rose as she repeated, "Exempt?"

He nodded and explained, "Of course, you will eventually have to take whichever exam you choose to bypass. However, I will allow you to have adequate study time once you return to Grimmauld Place before the exam is given."

Holly blinked at the mischievous smile on his face before slowly asking, "Would it be too much to ask if I could have an instructor review classroom material with me while I say at Grimmauld Place?"

Dumbledore nodded and said, "I see no reason why the Minister won't be sympathetic to your need and approve of your thirst for knowledge."

"I think I need additional time for Potions, sir." Holly replied as she tried not to smile, "I have improved my skills, but there are some more complex potions I would definitely like the time to practice on."

Dumbledore nodded as he opened the door. He began to walk out before turning back around and calling out, "Oh, Holly?"

"Yes sir?" She asked.

"Our ability to love is not a weakness. In fact, it is our greatest strength. Love is a powerful magic and it knows no boundaries."

Then he closed the door and walked away with a smile on his face.

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Holly's summer holiday was going about as terrible as all the others before this one. She had only been at the Dursley house for four days, yet she was ready to face an angry dragon just to get back to her beloved castle. She would even take the cramped, dark, musty Grimmauld Place over the Dursleys' bright and clean house. She missed Sirius. She hasn't got to see him face-to-face since the battle. She missed Ron and Hermione and wanted to apologize for her distant behavior throughout their last school year. She wanted to explain that she stayed away from them for their own protection because she had felt out of control.

She wanted to listen to Dumbledore speak in riddles as she attempted to solve what he was actually speaking about. She wanted to eat Mrs. Weasley's wonderful food and listen to Mr. Weasley babble about Muggle inventions. But, most of all, she wanted to see Snape. Holly desperately wanted to see him. See the way he walked and watch him sip on a large goblet of wine at the dinner table. She knew the exact shade and shape of his dark eyes. She had spent so much time watching him last year and now she was having withdrawals. She dreamt of him nightly and woke with sorrow in her heart.

It was yet another gray-skied day as Holly did her chores. She raked the leaves and hauled garbage cans to the dump. She trimmed the hedges and mowed the lawn. She polished Aunt Petunia's large pottery vases and watered her flowers. Despite the cloudy day, Holly was sweating by the time she filled buckets of water and dragged them toward the driveway.

She tied her gray t-shirt just beneath her ribcage and felt instant relief when a muggy breeze wafted across her bare stomach. She knew Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would throw a fit if they saw her exposing her midriff, but she didn't much care. Her temperature was soaring too high for her to care. She felt odd at exposing herself, but she focused on the task at hand and washed Uncle Vernon's perfectly boring SUV to perfection.

She was polishing and buffing the vehicle when she heard the scraping sound of footsteps behind her. She turned quickly and slapped her hand over her leg. Feeling the comfort of her wooden wand, hidden beneath the fabric, calmed her pumping heart. She straightened up and set the bottle of polish on the hood of Uncle Vernon's SUV when she saw a dark-haired boy smiling goofily at her.

He was standing out of arms-reach, so Holly guessed she was safe for the moment. She frowned and asked, "Are you here to see the Dursleys?"

"Who?" The boy asked in a surprisingly deep voice. He seemed to take great effort in tearing his eyes away from her and glancing at the Dursley house before he asked, "What is your name?"

She blinked and said, "Um, I'm Holly Potter."

He gave her another goofy smile and it was pleasantly warm. He greeted her happily, "Hey, Holly. My name is Shawn Vanderbilt."

She nodded and awkwardly replied, "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," He grinned and stated, "That's quite an outfit you're wearing."

She glanced down at her dark denim jeans, boots, and wet shirt tied off at her ribcage. She blushed hotly and mumbled, "It's my working clothes."  
He laughed freely as he replied, "I like it. You look good in it."

Holly was stunned. A boy had never told her she looked _good_ in anything before. She mumbled, "Um, thank you."

He gestured toward the car and suggested, "How about I help you finish up with this car, so we can go grab food in town? We could hang out, if you want to."

Holly's eyes widened as she slowly shook her head. Her stomach dropped and irritation filled her up to the brim as she bitterly replied, "My aunt and uncle wouldn't like that at all. I'm sorry, Shawn."

He gave her a careless smile that reminded her a bit of Ron. He shrugged his thin shoulders and flippantly asked, "Why would you obey anybody who wants to keep you from living happily and having fun?"

The smile slowly grew on Holly's face as she gawked in wonder at the tall boy with black hair and innocent brown eyes. She glanced behind her, checking to make sure Aunt Petunia wasn't peeking behind the curtains. She turned back to the boy and eagerly asked, "Can you meet me at the end of Privet Drive after dark?"

Shawn Vanderbilt grinned brilliantly, "Of course."

And so began Holly's first romance. It was certainly forbidden for Holly to sneak out of her bedroom window, but she did so anyway. She stole Uncle Vernon's toolbox directly after washing the car and successfully snuck upstairs with a bolt cutting tool. With considerable effort, she cut two bars off of her window. It was during times when she snuck out of her window that she was thankful for being a slim girl. The hole was small enough that Uncle Vernon wouldn't notice unless he was being overly observant, yet the hole was large enough for Holly's thin body to slip right through.

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 **AN:** _There will be another one of my favorite chapters coming up next week:) I would appreciate reviews. Thanks. Taytay123456:)_


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** Thank you for reading and reviewing:) ENJOY!

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It was on her birthday, nearly five weeks since she had met Shawn, that she slipped through the barred window and shimmed down the drain pipe until the soles of her shoes scraped the soft grass. It was well past dark, likely close to midnight, as she slinked across the lawn like a stealthy cat. She slipped in and out of shadows as she reached the end of Privet Drive. Sitting behind a neat trim of hedges, keeping to the shadows, was Shawn.

She slipped behind the large patch of hedges and tumbled into his lap with a quiet giggle. She was breathless from running as she greeted, "Hey."

He gave a bright smile as he kissed the tip of her nose and replied, "Hello, Birthday Girl. How old are you now? Fifty? Sixty?"

Holly slapped his arm and playfully stated, "Shut up!"

Shawn chuckled and said, "I'm only kidding. Wow. You're sixteen now. So young."

She fought down the need to defend her age and retorted, "You don't mind kissing my young self, now do you?"

He grinned recklessly before slipping his arms around her back and softly molding their lips together. The physical tenderness with Shawn brought forth a relaxing comfort like that of a lazy, warm afternoon floating in the Great Lake. She liked kissing him, liked feeling his large palms rubbing her back, liked feeling his full lips on hers. Yet it was Snape that she dreamed of when she was alone in her bed. It was Snape's thin lips she wanted to explore. Snape's deep, quiet voice she wanted to hear whispering sweet words. Snape's lean, wiry body pressed against hers.

But she kissed Shawn anyway. After all, he was nice and funny. He was wild and he provided a great distraction from her life with the Dursleys. Holly finally broke away from his lips when he became a bit overexcited and tried laying her down in the grass. She quickly asked, "What are we doing tonight?"

She sat up and scooted further away from him, but offered a smile to hide her reaction. She wasn't sure if Shawn noticed, but he definitely didn't act like he noticed her rejection. He said, "There's a party a few blocks over. We will get there much quicker if we cut through the children's park and jump the fence."

Holly's eyes rose as she asked, "Are you talking about that huge mansion that Dudley and his pals hang out at? The one that is abandoned?"

"Yes," Shawn replied proudly, "My older brother and his buddies decided they wanted to throw a party last week. He told me to bring you. Says he has plenty of fun things to do."  
"Like what?" She asked curiously.

Shawn gave a secretive smile as he stood up and held out his hand. She didn't miss the fact that Shawn didn't answer her question. A small part of her demanded that she be cautious, but it was overruled by frustration and boredom. She grinned and took his hand. As they walked down the darkened street, she kept throwing glances his way. She decided that she only liked Shawn's tall build because it reminded her of Snape. Regretfully, she admitted to herself that she liked Shawn's shaggy black hair for the same reason.

She tried to focus on what he was saying and pushed the guilty feelings aside as he challenged, "I bet I can beat you in a race to the fence."

She retorted, "We'll see."

She took off running and he ran beside her for a moment before tossing a cocky grin her way and lengthening his stride until he was several paces ahead of her. She kept running, enjoying the warm breeze and the excited pumping of her heart. Her muscles stretched in a good way as she kept running.

When Shawn reached the fence first, she didn't even care. Coming to a sliding halt, she laughed and said, "You won."

His breathing was a bit uneven as he pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes and offered, "You want a rematch on the way back? After the party?"

She playfully punched his arm and retorted, "Yes. I'm going to make you eat my dust next time too."

He snorted and replied, "Okay, babe. Prepare to lose again." as he began to climb the metal fence. Holly laughed and they continued their playful banter for the remainder of the trek to the abandoned mansion.

The lights from the suburb disappeared after they jumped over the fence. They went down a steep hill and crossed a rickety wooden bridge. She commented, "I had no idea there was a gully right here."  
Shawn looked at her in surprise as he said, "Really? You must not get out often enough, Holly. I've only been visiting my grandfather for a month and I already knew about this gully. You've been here for most of your life."  
She shrugged and uncomfortably replied, "I told you that I go to a boarding school quite a bit away from here. I'm only with the Dursleys two or three months out of the year."

He grabbed her hand as they came off of the bridge. There was another steep hill except now they were climbing it instead of running downward. By the time they got to the top, she had a painful stich in her side. She couldn't help but think using magic to quicken this journey would have been a lot better.

"Port key or brooms…"

"What did you say?" Shawn panted loudly from a few feet in front of her.

"Nothing," She answered hastily, "Are we almost there?"  
He grinned and asked, "Can't you hear the music?"

He took her hand again and pulled her through a thicket of brush. She strained her ears and could hear the steady pattern of loud thumping. Curiosity was eating away at her as Shawn dragged her underneath a wooden fence that was beginning to rot. She followed Shawn and crawled quickly on her hands and knees. She stood up, attempted to brush the mud from her jeans, but gave up and turned to Shawn. Grinning wickedly, he jerked a thumb to their left. Turning, Holly caught her first glimpse of the infamous mansion.

Her jaw dropped. The mansion had once been white, but now was a dingy gray color. Second and third story windows were black and jagged with missing glass panels. The grass was over grown in some spots and completely bald in others, but that wasn't the best part of the mansion. The most curious of all were the endless amounts of people. All different shapes, sizes, and colors. Kids were laughing freely and dancing in ways that Holly had never seen before. Exuberant music was playing from a large radio set up on a makeshift table. Shawn grabbed her hand and gently pulled her through the throngs of high-spirited kids.

Upon a closer look at the makeshift table, Holly could see endless bottles of liquor. She squinted, trying to read the labels, but none of the ingredients were familiar to her. The only liquor she knew of was Firewhisky, which Muggles certainly didn't have. Shawn chuckled and pointed to a corner of the mansion's patio. There were numerous tin pales filled with ice and glass bottles. Shawn fished out a bottle of clear liquid and twisted off the cap. There was a quiet popping noise before he handed it to her and smiled sweetly. "This will taste much better than any of that hard liquor."

She gripped the cold bottle in her hand and asked, "What is it?"

He laughed and stated, "An alcoholic beverage."

She rolled her pretty green eyes and retorted, "I know that much."

Shawn smiled, "It's an easy drink for a beginner."

She wasn't certain, but she suspiciously thought that he had somehow insulted her. She asked, "Is it going to make me drunk?"

He laughed and reached for a brown bottle. He twisted his cap off, took a swig, and answered, "No. It would probably take dozens of those to make you drunk."

Because she really wanted to know what alcohol tasted like, she took a cautious sip. A pleasant fruity taste burst across her tongue as she swallowed a second sip. Shawn was watching her expectantly. She gave a smile and said, "It's good."  
"Alright!" He exclaimed, "Come meet my friends."

Holly felt uncomfortable and excited all night long. She felt odd and out of place among the Muggles, but she had fun anyways. Shawn was just as high-spirited as all the other people around. He kept up humorous conversations with her and his brother's friends, but Holly kept finding her eyes straying to the middle of the yard. Everyone over there was dancing. At least, Holly thought they were dancing. She wasn't sure and she knew she couldn't ask Shawn because that would clue him in on just how abnormal Holly was.

There was something enthralling about watching the way those kids moved. They moved in ways that brought a blush to Holly's cheeks and a burning feeling to her gut. Their actions were sometimes graceful and fluid while other times they seemed almost animalistic. She had seen boys and girls kissing at Hogwarts; Holly certainly wasn't a prude about it either, but she had never seen the opposite sexes so closely attached to one another before. A boy with blonde hair and a very muscular build had his hands on a red-headed girl's hips. Their legs were touching and so were their chests. The boy dipped the girl down and ran his lips from the hollow of her throat up to her lips. His hands roamed over her backside and up to her chest.

Eyes wide, Holly jumped and nearly squeaked when Shawn suddenly asked, "Are you watching that couple?"

"N-No." She stammered and then cringed when she saw the smile on his lips. She rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Yes. I was watching them."  
Shawn grabbed the empty bottle from her hand and asked, "Do you want another one? A different flavor, perhaps?"

"Sure," She replied with relief at the change of subject, "But I like that flavor."

She felt no different after second drink. Or the third. It was when she was at the bottom of her fourth drink that she felt an interesting disorientation. She took the last sip of the fruity concoction before setting her empty bottle down. She found herself laughing a bit more at the jokes going around the circle of people as Shawn went to grab them both another drink. She was warm, despite the chill in the late night air. Shawn came back from the patio, handed her another bottle and sat close to her side. He laughed and asked, "Are you okay, Holly?"

She nodded and leaned on his shoulder. When Shawn leaned over and wrapped his arms around her waist, she let him. When he pulled her onto his lap and cuddled her next to the fire somebody lit, she let him. She felt relaxed and detached from the world. Her fingertips were numb and all that mattered was the dancing orange flames in front of her. Warm, yet not hot. Awake, but not too aware. She felt safe. She felt so far away from everyone who brought her any pain and danger. Nothing but strangers who didn't truly know her. She had no sense of time as she cradled her glass bottle in her hands.

After some time, she noticed people were stumbling through the hole in the rotten fence and going home. Shawn pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and whispered, "Do you want to go back to the Dursleys' house?"

Holly snorted and buried herself into the idle comfort of his arms. She sipped on her drink and replied, "No way."

A muscular boy who was definitely older than her came walking toward them. His eyes were identical to Shawn's. She laughed, "You're Shawn's brother."

He gave a charming smile and replied, "That I am, sweetie. Shawn, we're all heading out. You coming?"

He tucked a piece of Holly's wild hair behind her ear and shook his head. He said, "No. Holly and I are going to stay for a while longer."

Holly returned to staring at the dying embers of the fire while Shawn held her tightly. He interrupted her mindless trance by asking, "Can I kiss you?"

She wasn't really in the mood to kiss him, but she did think she should thank him for bringing her to the party. She had fun and was free from the Dursleys even now. For that alone, she could endure a few kisses in return for his kindness. She turned around in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck before leaning closer and pressing her lips to his.

She felt off-balance and nearly fell, but he put his large hands on her hips and held her in place. They both laughed breathlessly before their lips were on each other's once again. Holly wasn't sure what was happening. Her body felt out of control and acted without her consent. She wrapped her fingers in his shaggy hair as her lips moved quicker and more heatedly with his. She could feel his chest heaving as his hands ran roughly over her body. She had no time to appreciate his touch because it was too fast, too rough. He groaned lowly as she tugged on his hair and pressed her entire body against his.

He cursed hoarsely and tore his lips from hers. They panted in the dark as he rolled them both across the wet grass until she was on top of him. Holly giggled in delight at the sudden movement before pressing her lips back to his and effectively cutting out any other thoughts in either of their heads. She was dizzy, but she wasn't sure if it was from Shawn's mouth or the alcohol. Shawn's hands were greedily pushing her shirt up and exposing her stomach and plain white bra, but she didn't care. She was too preoccupied with the new sensations coursing through her body to notice the dark shadow silently walking out of the night and toward them.

Shawn ran his hands all over her bare stomach, but he didn't touch her where she wanted him to the most. Frustrated, she nipped at his bottom lip with her teeth. He let out a loud groan and gripped painfully on her hips. She was just about to put his hands in the right place when she felt two slim hands grab her by her shoulders and yanked her off of Shawn.

She stumbled back with a high-pitched squeak, but was saved from falling by two strong arms. Her back was pressed against a lean, yet muscled chest and the smell of oceans and forest invaded her nose. Her heart had been pounding out of fear and the immediate need to fight, but now it slowed and her tensed body relaxed. Holly sagged against his body and whispered in relief, "Snape…"

There was a single heartbeat of time where he held her closely before he released her and stepped back. Snape came lunging around Holly as he eyed the dark-haired boy sprawled drunkenly across the grass. Shawn scrambled to his feet as he demanded, "Who are you?"

"That is none of your concern," Snape snarled, "You will be wise to pick up what little dignity you have left and leave."

Shawn eyed Holly before frowning and hotly saying, "No. I'm not leaving."

"It's okay," Holly took a wobbling step forward and placed her hand on Snape's chest. She looked at Shawn and said, "This is my guardian, Shawn, from my school. Just go home."

Shawn didn't move. He kept staring at Holly with rapidly blinking eyes. Idly, she wondered if he was as dizzy as she was. She locked her knees to keep from falling over and curled her fingertips into the fabric of Snape's robes. Snape's slim hands were suddenly hovering over Holly's shoulders as he hissed, "I will not tell you again. Leave or I will make you leave, boy."

It seemed as if Shawn might argue further, but after gazing at Snape's expression, Shawn turned around and stumbled off into the night. There was a minute of silence before Snape turned to her and demanded, "What in the name of Merlin do you think you were doing?"

Holly blinked and swayed slightly before replying, "Kissing a boy."

"Oh, you were doing more than _kissing_ a boy. Pull down your damn shirt, girl."

Holly frowned, wondering what Snape meant. At her lack of a reaction, Snape scoffed and reached forward. Holly's eyes widened as she watched him wrestle with the fabric of her shirt before yanking it down and successfully covering her body from view. He stepped back and sneered in disgust, "Do you have no respect for yourself? Do you have no decency? Drunk and fondling in the grass like an animal."

Holly frowned and muttered, "I'm not an animal."

She blinked and added indignantly, "I'm not drunk either."

Snape dryly replied, "Yes, of course you aren't drunk. You just smell like you have fallen into a bottle of liquored strawberries."

"Maybe I did." She laughed at her witty retort until Snape grabbed ahold of her elbow and hissed, "Let's go. I don't have time for this."

"Where are we going?" Holly wondered curiously as Snape maneuvered her around the sloping hill. She stumbled so much that he finally grabbed her around the waist and instructed heatedly, "Hold onto me before you break both of our necks with all of your tripping."

Holly blinked slowly and stupidly asked, "Are you going to carry me?"

Snape snapped, "Unfortunately so."

Holly slipped her arms around Snape's neck and tried not to throw up when he abruptly scooped her up and held her against his chest. She curled her body up tightly and laid her head on his muscled shoulder as he began to walk. She mumbled, "How come we aren't Apparating?"

"You're mentally impaired and you could easily lose a limb if I was to try to travel by Apparation right now."

Holly blinked and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. Her words were slurring together as she said, "I like traveling this way much better."

Snape faltered and nearly slipped as he came to the base of the hill. His body was tense as Holly turned her head and pressed her nose into his neck. Inhaling deeply, she whispered, "I-I love the way you smell…like ocean and…the forest."

Snape's lips formed a thin line and his dark brow frowned heavily as he tried to ignore Holly's slurred whispers. He crossed the bridge and was relieved to see the outline of Privet Drive's suburb. His pace quickened, but he could still hear her speaking. She mumbled almost incoherently, "…Missed you…Left me…Snape…stay…Snape."

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 **AN:** _This chapter is especially beautiful to me for many reasons. I am so excited to share the next chapter with you all. Leave a Review. Pretty please?:)_


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** _This chapter is late by about seven or eight hours. I apologize. It is nearly 5AM on Monday. I am in the process of buying my first home with my fiance. Thank you to those that read and review:) This chapter is unique according to what you have read so far. Let me know what you think of seeing a surface glimpse of Snape's mind. Enjoy._

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He was miserable as he kept walking, but misery was nothing new for him. Despite his resistance, Severus found himself glancing down at the remarkable teenage girl in his arms. Her long ebony hair was wild from that hormonal boy's hands. Her skin was smooth and utterly perfect. Only one imperfection existed. The scar on her forehead. And even that had its own kind of beauty.

Swallowing hard, Severus strode hurriedly across the street and stood beside the edge of the run-down park. Holly's luggage, including her large Hogwarts trunk, were hidden beneath the abandoned swing set. Her possessions were protected with several charms. It took several minutes longer than it normally would have for him to perform the counter-charms because he had to carefully balance a sleeping Holly while using his wand. He sighed heavily as the final charming shield dropped away from her luggage. Snape glanced at the sky, noting that it was considerably lighter than it had been an hour before.

He was screwed. He admitted it now. He had a drunken girl in his arms and three tons of luggage to carry. He was stuck in a Muggle suburb and the dawn would be approaching within an hour. When he had been given the task of retrieving the damn girl, he hadn't expected to find her missing from her house. Neither did he expect to have to track her halfway across a gully and find her intoxicated while almost fornicating with a dodgy boy.

He gently set the limp girl on the ground and braced her body against his own. He shook her arms and said, "Wake up, Potter. Come on, wake up."

She mumbled and groaned, but didn't open her eyes. He sighed and hotly said, "I want you to do more than mumble incoherently. Wake up now, you damn brat."

She blinked sluggishly and he had the absolute pleasure of watching those emerald green eyes focus on his face. She gave a sleepy smile and mumbled, "Snape...hi…Dreaming."

"No," He retorted and strained to keep his tone angry, "You aren't dreaming. We have to go to Grimmauld Place, so get conscious quickly."

She maneuvered in his arms until her head was against his shoulder once more. She mumbled, "You…stay?"

His touch was gentle as he brushed her messy hair away from her face, but his voice was hard as he answered loudly, _"Wake up, Miss Potter."_

The girl blinked numerous times as she sat up and swayed dangerously. Snape held her shoulders as he made eye contact. He snapped, "Are you awake?"

She mumbled, "Kind of."

He sighed and swiftly debated with himself. Decision made, he stood up and carefully pulled Holly to her feet as well. She stumbled and, without any warning, she stepped forward and embraced him. Shock and bewilderment, his body froze as Holly's arms wrapped around his waist and hugged him. She mumbled, "I've been…been counting the days until I'd be at Grim- Grim…mauld Place…because I knew you'd be there too."

There was nothing but silence following her statement. Severus eventually spoke, "I want you to keep holding onto me, Miss Potter. I'm going to be Apparating to Grimmauld Place, so you must stay attached to me."

She hummed under her breath and mumbled, "Okay."

Severus bent down and picked up Holly's trunk. The girl surely was listening to him, he decided. She had never listened to a single command in her life, but the moment he instructed her to hold onto _him,_ she miraculously decided to listen. She was wrapped around him like a water demon; he wasn't certain he would be able to ever get her off of him.

He spoke loudly and clearly, "I'm going to Apparate now. Are you ready, Miss Potter? Stay holding on until we are safely within Grimmauld Place."

When she didn't respond verbally, he let his hands drop. He sighed and snapped, "Are you comprehending what I'm saying, you drunken imbecile?"

"Yeah," She sighed in a slur, "Don't let go…"

Severus sighed again before reluctantly wrapping left arm around the girl's shoulders. He held her trunk handle and his wand with his right hand before focusing his mind and Apparating far from Privet Drive.

Severus prided himself on his absolute mastery on the majority of all sources of magic, even those of the Dark side. He made certain that he did every potion, every curse, every charm, and every piece of physical magic as if his life depended upon flawless results. Apparation was no different. By the age of fifteen, Severus had daringly begun to practice traveling by Apparation. By the time he turned seventeen, Severus could perform impressive disappearing and re-appearing acts.

Now, as he came to a sliding stop and fumbled with Holly at his side, he was grateful that no one was around to witness. He dropped her trunk carelessly and shoved his free hand through his stringy hair before knocking impatiently on the door of Grimmauld Place. His sharp eyes scanned the street behind them, watching and waiting for enemies. Holly's legs were no longer holding her own weight, so Severus wrapped one arm around her waist and held her to his chest like a vice.

When the door was opened, Severus abruptly shoved passed Remus Lupin and demanded, "It took you long enough! Grab her trunk and shut the door."

Remus blinked in alarm and reached outside. He pulled the heavy trunk inside and slammed the door closed. He asked hastily, "What's wrong with her? SIRIUS!"

Severus rolled his eyes and muttered, "Great. As if dealing with one filthy dog isn't enough, Lupin, you had to call the other one."

Lupin ignored him and took a step closer. He asked curtly, "What happened to her, Snape? I won't ask again."

Severus rolled his eyes once more as Sirius Black came barreling down the staircase. Black's dark eyes, still filled with an edge of madness Severus understood only too well, landed on Holly's unconscious form. Fire raged across his gaunt face immediately as he demanded loudly, "What did you do to her, you evil bastard?"

"I did nothing," He snapped, "She is only asleep."

"Asleep in _your arms?"_ Sirius growled as he came to stand entirely too close. Severus replied calmly, "You would be wise to step away from me, Black."

When Sirius didn't move, Lupin stepped forward and put a restraining arm on his best friend. He spoke firmly, "Both of you need to calm down. Sirius, let Snape explain himself. And Snape, Sirius and I were told you would arrive with her _hours_ ago. You can understand our agitation, I'm sure."

"I forgot how annoyingly placate you normally are, Lupin." Severus replied dryly, "As you both know, Dumbledore sent me to collect the girl. Unfortunately, she was not with the Muggle family."

"Where was she?" Sirius demanded in a hoarse voice.

Severus met Sirius's eyes with a look of disgust before replying, "She was halfway across town. Quite drunk, I might add, and rolling around in the grass with a hormonal boy. She is stupidly stubborn when she is sober, so you can image how utterly insufferable she is while intoxicated. _That_ is why it took so long."  
Severus relished the confused and uncomfortable look that crossed Sirius's face before he turned his gaze to Lupin, who looked considerably more put together. Lupin cleared his throat and politely said, "I thank you for bringing her to us safely. I apologize that your night went badly."

Severus raised an eyebrow and dryly replied, "Indeed. _You_ might want to think about thanking me, Black. After discovering the precious Chosen One in a compromising position with a boy, I had to physically stop her from ripping her shirt off. Perhaps one of you should talk to Miss Potter about the consequences of such decisions? You two are, after all, her father figures."

"We will be speaking with her," Lupin said, "Thank you again."

Sirius abruptly demanded, "Give her to me, Snivellus."

Anger boiled underneath Severus's skin, but he only tightened the arm wrapped securely around the girl's waist. Her head was tucked in the hollow of his neck and he tried to ignore it the best that he could. He arched a dark eyebrow and asked, "Where are your manners, Black?"

"Give her to me," Sirius growled, "Or I will physically take her from you. If you end up in a body-binding spell, it won't be my fault."

Severus opened his mouth to retort, but suddenly there was a loud knocking on the front door. Everyone stayed still for a second, and then Lupin walked to the door and threw it open. Albus Dumbledore walked through the threshold as his bright blue eyes swept across the parlor room. He took in the two men in all their rage and animosity. He was not surprised about this. What he was surprised about, though, was the unconscious girl curled against Severus Snape's body with her head tucked underneath his chin as if she was completely safe and comfortable.

Dumbledore glanced at Lupin as he closed the door and greeted, "Good evening, Remus…or shall I say good morning?"

Lupin gave a tight-lipped smile and murmured a greeting as his eyes flickered toward Sirius and Severus. Dumbledore turned and asked, "Severus, why is young Holly unconscious?"

"She's intoxicated." Severus dryly replied.

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose and he said, "Dear me, that's interesting. Why don't you put her on the sofa in the sitting room? It seems we all have much to discuss."

Severus only had to take a few steps to his right before he was in the modest sized sitting room. He bent over and gently laid Holly down on the ancient sofa. As he went to stand up, her arms clutched around his neck. He could hear Dumbledore out in the hallway as he spoke to Sirius in whispers. Glad that the man was not here to witness this situation, Severus reached behind him and tried to pry the girl's arms away from his neck.

She whimpered pitifully in her sleep and only clung to him tighter. He sighed and whispered, "Let go, Potter. It's time to sleep now. You're at Grimmauld Place."

He tried to pull away once more, but she only whimpered again. He glanced hastily at the door as Lupin walked in. The werewolf blinked and came forward in a hurry as he heard the girl's soft noises of distress. He asked quietly, "What is the matter with her, Severus?"

He sighed hotly, "She won't let go of me."

Lupin frowned as Severus reached behind his neck, grabbed her forearm and firmly pulled her away from him. Holly's limp arms dropped onto the sofa with a soft _thud_ as Lupin whispered, "I'm sure she's disoriented. I apologize for any trouble she's caused you tonight. I will speak to her when she wakes."  
Severus didn't bother replying as he turned to walk away. He only made it two steps away from the sofa when Holly whined, "Snape…Snape…"

His steps faltered and his heart skipped a beat, but his face remained void of emotion. He walked out of the room without a backward glance at her. He was immediately met with Dumbledore, who offered a kind smile. He suggested, "Why don't we go into the kitchen, Severus? Kreacher has made us coffee. Lupin, you should join us as well."

That's how Severus found himself sharing coffee and breakfast with two men that he loathed epically. Almost more so than he loathed the Dark Lord. He sighed heavily as he watched Black shovel eggs into his mouth like a savage. Dumbledore was sitting beside him and thoroughly distracted him from his coffee when he asked, "Would you like a helping of eggs, Severus?"

"No," He bit out, "I lost whatever appetite I had when I saw Black."

"That's enough of that," Dumbledore said good-naturedly, "Why don't you tell us what transpired when you went to collect Holly?"

Severus huffed and explained, "I travelled to Privet Drive only to find the girl's bedroom empty. I gathered her belongs and used a tracking spell. When I came to a Muggle playground, I used concealment and protection charms on Miss Potter's luggage. I had to trek across a questionable bridge, over a gully, up a hill, and through a thicket of underbrush before I managed to find her."

He took a swallow of lukewarm coffee and continued waspishly, "She was at a Muggle party, hanging onto the arm of some Muggle boy and drinking alcohol. There were too many witnesses to expose myself to, so I waited for a god-forsaken hour before the Muggles cleared out. By the time they all left, Miss Potter had thrown herself at the boy. They were one step away from having sex before I intervened."

"Are you sure you aren't exaggerating a bit?" Sirius demanded.

Severus answered coldly, "I don't exaggerate. I have no doubt that had I left her to her own devices, she would have had sex with the Muggle."

Sirius narrowed his eyes and heatedly said, "This sounds unlike Holly."

"On the contrary, I wasn't surprised." Severus answered icily, "I have known her for a considerably longer time than you, Black. She is impulsive and ruled by her emotions. She was stuck with the Muggle family, whom she despises greatly, and had no way to contact any of her friends. By using Potter logic, she finds the nearest Muggle to befriend and uses him for fun adventures until one of us comes to collect her. It is very much like Miss Potter to do just what she did."

Everyone in the room was staring heavily at Severus. Black's irritated expression was expected, and so was Dumbledore's wise and thoughtful eyes. What Severus didn't expect was the understanding that seemed to be seeping into Lupin's eyes. _He knows,_ Severus thought, _he suspects._

Dumbledore interrupted Severus's thought as he asked, "What did you do once you broke Holly and the Muggle apart?"

"I threatened the boy until he left." Severus answered curtly.

"Did you realize how dangerous it would be," Lupin spoke up quietly, "…to Apparate with an underage witch while she was intoxicated?"

Severus rolled his eyes and said, "Fortunately for Miss Potter, I excel at Legilimency, as well as Occlumency. All I had to do was put an image of Grimmauld Place in the forefront of her mind and hold it there."

Sirius abruptly shouted in outrage, "You penetrated her mind?!"

He was lunging across the table as quickly as it took Severus to jump back and whip out his wand. He pointed it straight at Sirius's chest and snarled, "Move at all and you won't ever be moving again, Black."  
"Enough." Dumbledore whispered, but it held more power than a scream. Sirius hissed, "Go to hell, Severus."

"You first, Black." Severus snapped as he dropped back into his seat. He watched as Lupin gripped Black's forearm until the man sat down once more. Dumbledore spoke, "I think we all learned an important lesson tonight. Holly is an extraordinary girl, but she is just as much a teenager."

He paused and continued, "We can all remember that coming of age time when we first discovered desire and love. It is a confusing time and we all made foolish decisions due to unruly emotions. Holly isn't unaffected by the normal aspects of being a teenager. She is a responsible child and one that bares entirely too much weight on her shoulders. She has been chosen for a dark and an almost impossible task."

Dumbledore met Severus's eyes as he explained, "I'm sure she is experiencing emotions tenfold because of the pressure and expectations set upon her. She is tasked with saving an entire world. Surely you all can gift her with understanding and love. That, after all, is what I think she is looking for more than anything else."

There was a deafening silence that fell over the men in the room. Feeling entirely too much, Severus stood up and began to exit the kitchen. Dumbledore asked, "Can I expect you back sometime soon, Severus? Holly must prepare for her OWL exam. It is set to take place at the end of next week."

He curtly replied, "I will be back by tomorrow afternoon."

 **AN:** I hope you enjoyed. Reviewing would be so appreciated. I do adore this chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** _Thank you to all that R &R:) This story is gaining popularity. We are up to nearly 500 readers!:)_

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Holly woke with a raging headache and a mouth as dry as a desert. Her eyes were gritty from sleep and her neck throbbed from the odd angle she was lying in. She rolled her body with the intent to sit up, but found herself falling downward instead. She smacked the hardwood floor and groaned before blinking heavily. Sitting up slowly, Holly rubbed her eyes until her vision cleared.

Confused, she looked around the musty room and realized she was in 12 Grimmauld Place. The sitting room, to be exact. Alarmed, Holly stumbled to her feet. _How did she get here?_ She remembered Shawn bringing her to the abandoned mansion. She remembered the sharp taste of fruity drinks. _But how did she end up so far away from Privet Drive?_ _How did she end up in Sirius's house?_ The best case scenario was that somebody, namely Sirius or Remus, came to collect her and found her drunkenly walking back to the Dursleys' house. Perhaps they even found her passed out in her bedroom.

Feeling slightly relieved, although worried about their reaction, Holly quietly left the sitting room and dashed to the first-floor bathroom. After a much needed shower, she slipped into a plain sweater and jeans that she had put into the cupboard the summer before. She noted that the sweater was entirely too tight, specifically around the chest area. Maybe my boobs did grow, Holly thought, but one can only hope for a miracle.

After cupping her hands and drinking water straight from the faucet, Holly felt much better. She was combing her fingers through her messy hair as she walked down the narrow hallway. She could hear the muffled conversation in the kitchen and took a deep breath before waltzing through door. Sirius, dark hair slicked back and clutching a steaming mug of coffee, froze in mid-sentence. He gave Holly a look that suggested he was sympathetic. He asked, "How badly are you hurting?"

Holly swallowed thickly and replied, "It's alright, but I'm thirsty."

Sirius chuckled and gestured to the chair across from his. "Sit down, Holly. Drink a few glasses of water and eat a couple pieces of toast. It always helped me."

"Helped you…?" She questioned hesitantly.

He smirked and clarified, "With the aftermath of a long night of festivities."

Lupin sighed heavily from nearby and smacked Sirius on the back of the head with a wooden spoon as he came bustling away from the stove with a large platter of pancakes. He dished out three helpings before sitting himself next to Sirius. Lupin's light brown hair was disheveled per usual, but it was the look in his eyes that caused Holly to feel mildly sheepish.

It was only after Holly began to nibble on the edges of her pancakes that Lupin questioned, "What do you remember from last night, Holly?"

She blinked and mumbled, "I went with…a friend…to a get-together."

"Well," Lupin remarked quietly, "It must have been quite the get-together."

"Um," Holly reluctantly asked, "What makes you say that, sir?"

He replied conversationally, "Snape saw an interesting show when he went to gather you from the Dursleys' house. You were a few miles away, drinking alcohol at an abandoned mansion with Muggles. He found you there, committing rather private acts with a Muggle boy."

She felt the blood drain from her face as Lupin watched her carefully. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Snape saw. _Snape, Snape, Snape._ Her heart dropped heavily and her stomach began to protest what little bit of food she had eaten. Her mind was spinning sickly with muddled images from the night before. The smell of smoke and orange flames dancing delicately. Wet grass and large hands fumbling roughly over her chest and hips. Hungry lips attacking one another before she was ripped away. Slim fingers had held her shoulders. Then, she was wrapped safely in strong arms and the crisp scent of oceans and forests were swamping her senses.

Oceans and forests.

Holly let out a low sound of pain before standing up too quickly and knocking aside the wooden chair she had been occupying. Remus and Sirius both sprang from their own chairs and rushed to her side. Sirius grabbed ahold of her shoulders while Remus cast a quiet spell, which produced a small bucket. He set it right in front of Holly's bent over form and pushed her hair away from her face.

Sirius held her hair in a loose grasp before saying, "Just breathe, Holly."

"This sickness will pass," Remus said in a soothing tone, "Unfortunately, this is what happens when you over indulge with a substance like alcohol."

Holly blinked rapidly to keep tears of embarrassment and sorrow at bay. Her hands were clamped across her stomach, but she didn't vomit. There were a few minutes of silence before she turned away from the empty bucket. Sirius let go of her and stepped back. He asked, "Do you still feel sick?"

Holly swallowed heavily and dropped onto her chair the moment Remus up-righted it. She shook her head and scratchily asked, "Snape…Snape found me?"

"Yes," Remus said, "Professor Dumbledore sent Snape to retrieve you. He used a tracking spell to find you and kept you from making a drunken mistake, Holly. I really want to impress upon you the idea of restraint and clear decision making in the future."

Holly hardly heard the majority of what Remus said because her ears were ringing with absolute horror. Her lips were numb as she whispered, "He saw. Oh Merlin, he saw me with Shawn…"

Sirius sat back down, but pushed his half-eaten plate away. It seemed that the mention of the Muggle boy had lessened her godfather's appetite. Remus's eyes were intense as he sighed and said, "That is another thing we wanted to talk to you about. You see, Holly, we realized that nobody has ever offered to speak to you about sex."

Holly was too numb, yet simultaneously full of regret and embarrassment about Snape witnessing her actions to care about anything Remus might say. She stared straight ahead and mechanically listened as Remus said, "I can only imagine how it must be for you…"

Sirius began talking when Remus faltered. His voice was heavy as he said, "It should have been your mother talking about such intimate things, Holly. It should have been Lily who told you about boys and what to expect. She should be the one having this conversation with you right now. Merlin, even James would have been a better choice than the two of us."

Holly blinked and turned to fully face Sirius. Her godfather gave her a tired smile before continuing, "But Remus and I are the ones who are here. No matter how unfair it seems, we are the only ones here. Now, I won't ever pretend to be your father. Neither will Remus. But we do want to help you and we're concerned about you."

Holly fought desperately to hide her expressions as she whispered, "It was a mistake. I should have never left my bedroom. It was my birthday and I was…I was alone. I didn't want to be, so I left with my friend. Everything got out of hand unexpectedly. It won't happen again."

Sirius touched her hand and said, "Snape was sent yesterday evening, so you could celebrate your birthday with us. We would never, ever forget you. No matter how much distance separates us, Holly Potter, I will never forget you."

"Nor will I," Remus stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.

She was blinking rapidly again, but a single tear fell against her will. She stood up and quickly asked, "Is it okay if I go lie down?"

"Of course," Sirius replied, "Let us know if you need anything."

Holly darted out of the kitchen and rushed upstairs as swiftly as possible. Once inside the room she and Hermione had shared the summer before, she collapsed on the bed. Her tears fell hotly down her cheeks. The warmth she had felt because of Sirius and Remus was viciously washed away by the self-hatred flooding through her body. She fell asleep with quiet sobs tearing up her throat only to be woken a short time later by the door being thrown open.

Severus tried not to feel any emotion at all as the girl jerked upright with her brilliant emerald eyes rimmed in red from obvious tears. Her inky black hair was loose and a mess of curls. As his eyes trailed over her head, he deduced that she must have recently bathed. Her hair was still damp and he could smell the faint scent of soap when he breathed deeply. Her heart-shaped face was paler than usual and tears were dried on her cheeks. He felt his lips curl up in a sneer as he barked, "Wake up, Potter."

She looked down at his feet, taking any chance of seeing those precious eyes away from him as she did so. He sharply demanded, "We have studying to do. I expect you to be fully prepared to not waste my time."

"Yes sir," She still refused to meet his eyes and spoke in a painfully raspy voice.

Severus raised an eyebrow and turned to walk away. He threw a sharp demand over his shoulder, "Be in the same room we studied in last summer, Potter, in five minutes."

Severus completely ignored Lupin as he swooped down the staircase. The raggedy werewolf called out, "I would request that you not act fowl to her today."

"Your request will be denied, Lupin." Severus sneered without bothering to face the man. He threw the door to the musty room open with a simple projected thought and went straight to the potion station in the right corner. His mind was racing with numerous thoughts and images as he arranged cauldrons and ingredients. He picked up a small jar of rat eyes and set them next to the plate of ginger root. _Why hadn't she looked him in the eyes earlier?_ It wasn't custom for that brat to not look him in the eyes while they argued. He thought grudgingly, _why had she been crying?_

He felt an odd emotion as he thought of Lupin and Black. _What had they said to her?_ _What had they done that would bring such a stubborn child to tears?_ Severus kept rearranging potion ingredients, but the task did nothing to keep his thoughts away from Potter. By the time the child came waltzing into the room, Severus had pushed his worry aside. It was now replaced with irritation. He snapped, "I told you to be here within five minutes. You have little regard for others, do you?"

Holly's face remained blank as she explained quietly, "Sirius and Remus wouldn't let me show up without eating first. I told them you would be mad."

He rolled his dark eyes and dryly replied, "I will take this matter up with your lovely parental figures later on. One would assume they would grow up eventually, but such large miracles can't be expected."

Severus found himself surprised and greatly annoyed that Holly didn't jump to the defense of her beloved Sirius and Remus. A moment of silence passed between them before he demanded impatiently, "Get over here and open your textbook. Find the section on Transformation Potions."

She scrambled across the room and immediately began to do as he said without comment. She still didn't meet his gaze. He watched her with a guarded expression as she bent over the textbook. He noted that her shoulders were slumped low and she kept pushing her hair away from her face. Several minutes passed before she mumbled, "I'm done reading the section, sir."

Her voice was void of any emotion and, for some reason beyond his immediate understanding, the idea of Holly Potter being emotionless bothered him greatly. He replied curtly, "Cut the ingredients that are designated for stewing."

Holly did as he instructed without an annoyed comment or a single glare aimed in his direction. Severus hovered a few feet away, occasionally glancing at her work to ensure that she was following his instructions. It took more effort than he cared to admit to successfully push the girl's odd behavior to the back of his mind.

Once the necessary ingredients were cut and were piled in a neat row, Holly silently awaited further directions. When Severus stepped forward to view the accuracy of the slices made on the ginger root, Holly hurriedly glanced down and pointedly read from her textbook. Severus impatiently walked her through the remaining steps of a standard Transfiguration Potion and tried to ignore the tight knot that formed in his chest.

It took three tries before she managed to accurately accomplish the potion. As Holly silently cleaned her work station, Severus had to bite his tongue to keep from making rude comments about her lack of knowledge on a potion he had spent three days teaching in his classroom not four months before. Yet he couldn't bring himself to attack her defenses when she looked so completely defeated.

Holly had just finished polishing her cauldron when Severus strode over and said, "You did poorly, Miss Potter. Did you pay attention to anything when I spent three days' worth of class time going over this last school year?"

"I-I was distracted, sir…" Holly stuttered while looking straight ahead.

"Distracted with what?" Severus questioned curtly.

She shook her head and whispered, "Just…things you wouldn't care about, sir."

He narrowed his eyes and stared pointedly at her. He half-hoped she would turn her head and show him those brilliant green eyes he so craved to see. When she ignored his silent plea, he took a step away from her and instructed, "Be here first thing in the morning. In your textbook, read chapter fourteen. I will expect you to be able to answer any question I might have about that particular potion by tomorrow."

She snatched the battered textbook off of the desk and scrambled out of the room so quickly that Severus felt even more irritated. He listened to her muffled footfalls as she went upstairs and presumably to her bedroom. Severus sighed and sat on the only chair in the musty room. He went through several stacks of Holly's essays and tests from the last year, hoping to find her biggest weaknesses. Despite his dislike for the girl, he held a certain pride in his teaching abilities. He would be damned if a student given personal training with him would ever fail an OWL exam. Hours passed before he heard the muffled sound of laughter coming from the direction of the kitchen. His lip curled in irritation as he stood and began to neatly place Holly's past assignments in a small black booklet. Suddenly, he felt the presence of another person. He sighed heavily and questioned, "Are you here to badger me some more, Albus?"

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 **AN:** _Stressful week of finals in school. I would enjoy Reviews. What did you think of it all? And I'm curious to know if anybody has caught the pattern in which I use the character's first and last names._


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** Thank you for aaall the readers and the Reviews:) This chapter is special and I could use comments on Severus. Even the simplest Review will help me:) ENJOY.

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 _Suddenly, he felt the presence of another person. He sighed heavily and questioned, "Are you here to badger me some more, Albus?"_

Severus turned around to see his oldest and only friend standing in the doorway of the darkened room. The man usually wore foolish clothing and today was no exception; Albus was fitted in dark purple robes rimmed in golden stars. Albus smiled and his blue eyes twinkled as he replied, "I do not badger you overly much, Severus."

"You do," Severus replied in annoyance, "I can't figure out why I allow it."

Albus laughed in delight as he came fully into the room. He ran his hands over the desk Holly had been sitting at just hours before. Albus said, "I think you know exactly why you put up with me, Severus, even if you don't want to admit it."

Because Albus Dumbledore was usually right, Severus stayed silent and refused to comment. He watched Albus examine the room in an almost childish delight before Albus asked, "Are you staying for dinner, Severus? I hear that Kreacher has made a most delicious stew."

"I think not," Severus answered sarcastically, "What would possess you to think I would be willing to dine at the same table as two of my primary enemies?"

Dumbledore's blue eyes were positive with merriment now as he whispered, "It is not a what that has me thinking you will stay, but a who."

Severus felt cold hands grip his heart as hot lava poured through his veins. He took a step forward and snarled, "I don't know where you get such foolishness from, Albus, but you would do well to wipe such stupid thoughts from your mind. She is a student and I am very much her teacher. I have dedicated my life to saving the child, to ensuring her safety and her ability to live as a debt to her mother. How dare you insinuate anything else?"

Albus was smiling softly as Severus finished his rant. Disgust and anger were predominant emotions stamped across Severus's pale, angular face. Several moments passed before Albus quietly replied, "I never said I was speaking about Holly. You are the one who assumed I was talking about her, Severus. Your reaction has, however, just confirmed my suspicions."

"What suspicions?" Severus asked in a quiet and deep voice.

Albus only gestured and said, "Come with me. Eat dinner and give me the enjoyment of your company."

"Albus…" Severus sighed, "I don't want to eat dinner in this wretched house with those ignorant fools."

"Yes, I know," Albus answered good-naturedly, "But there is an extraordinary girl here who craves your presence. She is, if I am not mistaken, saddened by her actions the night before."

Severus felt his heart skip a beat as he hissed, "She should be embarrassed over her actions. The child could have gotten herself harmed or killed quite easily."

"The child," Albus replied as they began walking down the hallway, "is aware of her mistakes. I think she is mostly ashamed that you, Severus, caught her in a moment of weakness."

Severus stayed silent after that. He was too busy trying to calm the uneven beating of his heart as images of that Muggle boy groping Holly's soft, slim body slipped through his head.

Albus wanted Severus to stay at 12 Grimmauld Place throughout the week until the girl took her OWL exam Saturday morning, but Severus had argued his point until Albus dropped his insistent blabbering. He knew what the old man thought and Severus was irritated beyond measure at the man's nerve. It didn't matter that Severus grudgingly accepted Albus as his friend; the older wizard was still insufferable. He was irritating and often overly-knowledgeable. He was unbelievably cryptic and lived to torment Severus with childish delight over the most foolish things. He put too much stock into beliefs involving love and unity, peace and equality. But Severus knew that all those qualities are what made Albus Dumbledore great.

"Yeah, he's great," Severus muttered hotly, "He's a great pain in my side. Nosy old coot…has his mind filled with ridiculous ideas…"

There was a quiet sound followed by knocking. Severus looked up from his black booklet of notes and drank in the quick sight of emerald eyes before Holly dropped her gaze to the floor. She said, "I'm early, sir, sorry."

"Come in, Miss Potter." Severus demanded, "Don't just stand in the doorway."

She slowly walked to her desk and set her textbook down. Severus's sharp eyes noted the various pieces of paper sticking out of the book. He wondered if she was studying outside of their training sessions as well. He would be surprised if she was.

"You have improved somewhat over the last few days, Potter," He said as he stood from his chair, "But you are under par compared to other students your age."

Holly nodded and pushed her hair behind her ears without bothering to reply.

Severus waited a moment before asking, "Is there a particular potion you have questions about, Potter?"

Holly shook her head and mumbled, "No, sir."

Severus rolled his dark eyes and curtly replied, "Read about Draught of the Living Dead. There are nearly always exam questions revolving around that particular potion."

He watched with the eyes of a predator as Holly bent over her textbook and silently read for the remainder of the hour. When she finally glanced his way, Severus locked eyes with her and greedily roamed his gaze over her face. He noted that she wasn't nearly as pale as she had been two days before, but her eyes were still red-rimmed. The underneath of her eyes were dark with shadows and slightly puffy. _She was still crying,_ he thought hotly, _why was she still crying?_

Her brilliant eyes were dry now, but the signs of hurtful tears lingered. Holly, finally breaking away from Severus's gaze, looked back down to her textbook. She mumbled, "I've finished reading the section on the Living Dead, sir."

Severus instructed firmly, "Then, begin the brewing process."

He continued to watch as Holly organized, cut, crushed, and stewed ingredients. Her full lips never once turned up into a smile because she had successfully irritated him. Her emerald eyes kept refusing to meet his, and she wasn't faltering with the potion enough for him to warrant yelling at her.

After a long length of time, Severus began to read over yet another one of Holly's essays. This was her final essay from the previous school year; he was still stunned by the level of intelligence that had shown in her writing. He had wondered endlessly if Hermione Granger, Miss Potter's best friend, had aided Miss Potter in writing the essay. Unfortunately, he had no way to prove that theory. He slipped the essay back into his booklet and glanced up just in time to see the girl blankly staring at the wall opposite of her. A long, thin ladle was in her hand and she was absentmindedly stirring her potion. He raised an eyebrow as the dark liquid bubbled unexpectedly and oozed down the sides of her cauldron.

He came swiftly to his feet and lunged across the room in the time that it took her to turn her head and blink. He swiped out and quickly turned the cauldron burner off before demanding, "Why weren't you paying attention? Stupid girl, you could have severely burnt yourself. Pray tell, what thought was so important that it preoccupied all of your brain cells?"

She blinked once more and Severus was sure he caught a flicker of emotion in her eyes before it disappeared. She dropped her gaze and slumped her shoulders, offering him nothing. No challenge. No excitement. No irritation. She offered him nothing. Abruptly, Severus lost the slippery grip he had held with this girl. He sneered, "What is holding your sharp tongue, Miss Potter? Too embarrassed to speak to me? Were you thinking of your precious Muggle boy and that _ridiculous_ excuse of a romp between the two of you?"

He felt great triumph and a jolt of satisfaction came forward as Holly's eyes snapped upward with a blazing fury of beautiful green fire. She hissed, "I was thinking of you, actually _, Professor._ It seems as if all I do is think of you, but you already know that. You like to pretend as if I don't exist, as if my feelings for you don't exist. Why is that? Huh, sir?"

Severus's lips were curled in a sneer and hot fury was pumping through his entire body. Both he and her were inches from each other, endless emotions soaring between them on a private path that remained uncharted. Both had their hands fisted violently and they were breathing unevenly in absolute anger. Severus's calm and collected mind, normally so analytical, was in scrambles because of this girl.

He snarled wildly, "You think entirely too highly of yourself, Potter. I couldn't care less about your childish feelings and fantasizes. You are sorely wasting your time with this little obsession of yours."

"I'm not childish," Holly's slim body was trembling as she slapped a hard fist against her chest, directly over her heart. "And neither are my feelings. How dare you try to belittle me, Snape. Maybe you're just scared or jealous or confused. Maybe you really don't care about me, and that is fine. But don't ever again try to tell me my feelings aren't real and true."

She stepped closer until all Severus could do was drown helplessly in her. His body was frozen in painful way, but all he could see and feel was Holly. Words held little meaning, he knew, but eyes were mirrors that couldn't tell lies. And hers were gleaming stunningly with truth _. She cares for me_ , Severus thought in horror, _this child's dreams and hopes are actually connected to me._

Holly whirled away from him as tears began to shimmer in her eyes. She hastily made her way to the doorway before turning back to him. Her hand was clutching the wall as if it could hold her up. Her expression was that of shattered determination. Tears were now making their way down her cheeks and her lips trembled, but she met his dark gaze. She said, "You act terribly to make people hate you, but it doesn't work with me…because I can see who you are. When it comes down to nothing, you fight for what is right. And you fight to save others."

Severus was too full of dismay and fear and jealousy and irritation and fury and compassion to speak properly. He opened his mouth, but no words came. He spent his life purposely trying not to think of Lily Evans, the woman he loved more than life itself. He tried not to think of her beauty and brilliance. Her laughter and carefree joy. Her sparkling light. The kind of light that brought compassion and tenderness to the lives of others. The type of woman filled with that unexplainable goodness that so few people possessed. His heart ached with the love for that light dying, which had left the world a much darker place.

But now, as he stared at the daughter of Lily Evans, with the same beautiful emerald eyes, the same fearless and compassionate disposition, he was so sure that the stunning light of Lily Evans didn't die after all.

Holly blinked back more tears before saying, "I won't give up just yet."

Then she left Severus alone in shattered pieces in the darkened, musty room.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** _Thank you_ _all for the nice R &Rs. This chapter is extremely important in reference to Severus. I could use feedback for this one;)_

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Neither Severus nor Holly talked to each other the next day. He silently wrote instructions on a piece of parchment and leaned against the dusty wall while she worked. He didn't comment at all, even when she executed her potion perfectly. The following evening, Holly slept fitfully, dreaming of his tender touch, while he sat stoic in his run-down house in Spinner's End until dawn approached. Severus thought of Lily; he thought of Holly. He thought of his childhood and relived hellish nightmares better left forgotten. Before heading to 12 Grimmauld Place Saturday morning, Severus fixed himself a cup of hot tea in hopes that his mind would settle.

He recalled the tiny, innocent baby with a freshly sliced wound on her forehead. She had been screaming from inside her crib as her mother and father lie dead inside their small, charming house. Pain clawed at Severus's heart as he thought of that night. The night his only friend, his only love, his only hope, was brutally ripped away from him. He remembered her empty face. Her empty body. Her light had been burnt out. His Lily had chosen another man to love, another man to birth a child with. His Lily had given her precious love, a gift he coveted desperately, to another man. To his archenemy. He thought that act was enough to kill his soul, but Lily choosing James hadn't been the end. His soul had been killed when Lily ceased to breathe.

 _What was he to do now?_ He wondered agonizingly, _what was he to do when Lily's daughter was slowly falling in love with him?_ He couldn't brush off the dreams from Holly's previous Occlumency lessons anymore. Last year, he purposely ignored the romantic dreams of hers. Instead, when he shifted through her mind, he had focused on the sensual dreams, pretending as if the girl was only hormonal and curious _. How could he pretend now?_ He wondered mournfully, _how could he pretend that she was only simply attracted to him in a physical sense?_ She had risked her life for him. The ignorant and wonderful child had thrown herself into the Ministry Battle without thought for her own safety. She had defended him from Bellatrix. Just the thought left his arms covered in gooseflesh.

Bellatrix, a fanatical and murderous woman, hated him with a spiteful passion. He had felt utterly helpless and overwrought with pain while Bellatrix had cursed him. He remembered the white-hot pain and the silent screams. He remembered the wild and feverish hope that Albus would get to Holly before Bellatrix could. He remembered the stunned, warm feeling coursing through his collapsed body as Holly attacked Bellatrix like an avenging angel.

He still remembered Holly's fierce words to Albus. Her very reason for casting such an Unforgivable spell. _She hurt Snape! She hurt Snape._ He remembered her drunken state and her hands curled against his arms, so soft and gentle. Her head on his chest as he carried her down Privet Drive. He remembered her sleepily mumbling his name. His heart was pierced with something so painful, yet beautiful as he thought about last weekend, when he attempted to lay her on the sofa in Grimmauld place. She had cried out for him in her sleep. She had asked him to stay that night. _Snape, stay..._

Severus stood up and shakily walked to his dingy kitchen. He poured his lukewarm cup of tea down the sink and left his house as quickly as possible. He arrived at the entrance to Hogwarts castle at half past seven O'clock. Albus met him near the grand and forever impressive entrance gates. He smiled and greeted happily, "Good morning, Severus. Let us hope for luck and intelligence to be on Holly's side this morning."

Raw images and emotions were still too fresh for Severus to offer a biting reply about Holly Potter, so he remained silent. The two powerful wizards walked into the castle and navigated the enchanted hallways and stairways with ease. Severus felt relief slipping through his hard outer shell as he cast his gaze around the castle. His beloved castle. His home. He would rather die before letting anybody know how much he cared for this damned castle, though.

Albus caught Severus's gaze lingering on a grand portrait of two wizards in the middle of an epic duel. He gave a gentle smile and said, "You could take that portrait and put it into your dungeons, if you would like, Severus."

Severus was irritated at being caught. He snapped, "No, Albus."

"Well," The older man casually replied, "If you change your mind…"

"Where is that stubborn girl?" Severus asked abruptly.

Albus allowed the subject to change as he easily replied, "She is in Minerva's office. Mr. Funder works for the Wizarding Examination Board, so he will be there to ensure our Holly isn't cheating on her test. I, for one, don't think Holly would attempt such a dishonest feat. More often than not, she is quite honest. What do you think, Severus?"

"I think that she couldn't cheat even if she wanted to," Severus replied irritably, "Her parchment for the written portion of the exam has an anti-cheating spell, which you very well know, Albus."

Albus shrugged his shoulders as they came to meet Minerva standing just outside her personal office. Her wand was none-too-discreetly in her hand and her face as stern as per usual. A few feet to her right stood Remus Lupin. His wand was at the ready as well, but he greeted Albus with a small smile.

Albus greeted them both, "Good morning to you two."

"Good morning, Albus." Minerva nodded at him and then at Severus.

Lupin nodded and politely replied, "Good morning."

"How is our Holly feeling today, Remus?" Albus asked.

"She seemed a bit nervous at breakfast," Remus replied hesitantly.

"Ah, that is to be expected." Albus answered, "I have faith she will do wonderfully."

Severus dryly said, "Now that we have established the emotional status of Miss Potter, could we enter the room? For all any of us know, this Mr. Funder could very well be a Death Eater…and our charge is by herself with him."

Minerva narrowed her eyes, but she had worked alongside Severus Snape long enough to know when it was pertinent to argue with him. She answered him in a tone just as dry as his, "I and Albus examined Mr. Funder carefully this morning. You are not the only intelligent being looking out for Miss Potter's welfare, Severus."

His dark brow rose perfectly as he said, "Indeed."

Minerva briskly turned and opened her office door before waltzing in. The three men- Lupin, Severus, and Dumbledore- followed. Severus felt a twinge of anxiety leave him when he saw Holly. She was seated at an elongated table along the east side of the room with only a quill and a small jar of ink at her side. She looked restless and full of nerves. Neither of those emotions bothered him; but the obvious signs of exhaustion did. Her inky black hair was messier than usual and sloppily pulled into a ponytail. Brilliant green blasted through him as she glanced his way.

Their eyes met for a single second, but it was enough time for his chest to constrict with lack of oxygen. When she looked toward Dumbledore, Severus took a deep breath and went to stand against the east wall. She was a near five feet from him, but he stayed at his post and watched the entrance door. Thankfully, Mr. Funder began the exam only minutes later. Minerva sat at her desk and dutifully worked on new syllabuses for the upcoming school year while Severus and Lupin stood aware and watchful on opposite walls.

Dumbledore leaned against the north wall and gazed out of the window. He seemed dazed and thoughtful, which Severus knew to be a normal Dumbledore occurrence. But Severus also knew Dumbledore was hardly ever unaware of his surroundings. Sure enough, Severus's sharp eyes could just make out the outline of Dumbledore's wand tucked underneath the sleeve of his robes.

Time passed slowly and uncomfortably from Severus. He was entirely too aware of Holly. Too aware of the way she chewed her bottom lip as she blinked rapidly at her exam booklet. Too aware of the way his heart would begin to stir as she impatiently pushed stray hairs away from her eyes. He knew her mind was racing frantically as her quill scratched across the paper. He knew the hand-writing on that paper would be somewhat sloppy and slanted to the right with a careless drawl.

Mr. Funder, a portly and bald man in a velvet green robe, eventually stepped forward and loudly cleared his throat. Everyone but Severus looked on as Mr. Funder called out, "It has now been ninety minutes, Miss Potter. Please, set your quill aside."

Severus watched as Holly set the quill aside and carefully handed her exam booklet to the portly wizard. She whispered, "Here you go, sir."

Mr. Funder briskly replied, "You have to complete a practical portion of your Ordinary Wizarding Level exam for the subject of Potion-Making, Miss Potter. You will have exactly two hours to complete a Transfiguration Potion."

Holly's expression turned to one of fierce resolve as she nodded curtly. Mr. Funder took a step back and muttered a charm. A single cauldron appeared and Mr. Funder levitated it before gently setting it in front of Holly. Dumbledore stepped forward and murmured, " _Accio_ ingredients cupboard."

A moment passed and then Dumbledore waved a hand. The office door flew open and seconds later a wooden cupboard came flying inside Minerva's office. Dumbledore flicked his wand about and maneuvered the cupboard until it was right next to him. All eyes turned back to Mr. Funder as he nodded and said, "Begin."

Severus was captivated by Holly's performance, despite his grudging acceptance of the fact. She was full of energy as she flickered from her potion station to the cupboard and back again numerous times. She stirred and cut and crushed and stirred some more. She erected the perfect amount of flame from her burner, but made sure not to overheat the contents of her cauldron. She focused with a determination that reminded him of himself. By the time the two hours were coming to a close, he was convinced that she had made just one mistake with her potion. She forgot to crush the rat eyes and simply sliced them instead. Points would be docked for that, Severus was sure.

Mr. Funder collected Holly's cauldron as well as her exam booklet and the various parchments with his personal written notes. He cleared his throat and said, "I will need about thirty minutes to properly tally my marks. Until then, Headmaster Dumbledore was given Miss Potter's results from her other OWL exams."

Severus heard Holly's intake of breath as Mr. Funder exited the room. She blinked twice before Remus walked to her and asked, "Was that as stressful as it looked to be?"

Holly let out a laugh before nodding, "Yes. It was terrible."

* * *

 **AN:** _Nerdy Info for any interested...Severus thinks of the Headmaster as "Albus" when comfortable and "Dumbledore" when uncomfortable. REVIEW, please;_ )


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:** _Thank you for the R &Rs:) Apologies for the day long delay...And so w_ _e begin the journey of Holly's sixth year..._

* * *

Holly bit her bottom lip for the hundredth time since morning and carefully took the package from Dumbledore. She kept it under her hand, but didn't open it. Severus knew, from Dumbledore's blabbering, that Holly had managed to receive several passing OWL marks. He was curious to know how she did on exams, but would never reveal his interest to others. He stayed the furthest away, even after Minerva stood from her desk and walked closer to offer a quick word of encouragement to her student. It was only after a reassuring talk from Lupin that Holly finally opened the package and hesitantly peaked at the parchment.

Lupin asked quietly, "How is it, Holly?"

Dumbledore sent a beaming smile at both Severus and Minerva. Holly glanced at the parchment and up to Minerva several times before asking, "Is this a mistake, Professor McGonagall? Did I really manage to get an Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration?"

Minerva, one Severus could usually count on to remain stern, broke into a small smile as she replied, "Why, yes, Miss Potter. You have improved greatly since your first few years here at Hogwarts."

Holly broke into a grin as she shoved the paper at Lupin and eagerly said, "Look at this, Remus. I managed Outstanding marks in Defense class."

"I see," Lupin grinned, which was a real rarity. He replied enthusiastically, "This is brilliant, Holly. Just brilliant. Sirius will be just as proud as I am."

"You should begin thinking of your career path, Miss Potter." Minerva explained promptly, "You have passed numerous subjects that are needed for most wizarding jobs. I most definitely expect to see you in Advanced Transfigurations with me once the new school year begins."

Holly offered a grin as she replied, "Of course, Professor."

Lupin asked conversationally, "Which classes do you plan to continue with?"

Holly shrugged and stated, "I'm certainly going to drop Divinations."

Everyone chuckled while Severus stood in the corner and rolled his eyes. Dumbledore said, "I was always fond of Care of Magical Creatures. It is an absolutely fascinating subject. One that Hagrid and I do share."

The conversation carried on for some time before the door suddenly opened and Mr. Funder came strolling in. His chubby face was carefully blank as he walked across the room and carefully handed Holly a sealed envelope. He stated, "Here is your final marks for your Potion-Making OWL exam."

Severus felt a slip of unease, but he pushed it aside and stayed with his back against the east wall. He stuck to the shadows and refused to watch as he heard the gentle rip of paper. There was a moment of silence and then Severus heard small footfalls. He looked up, watching as she walked toward him. Her heart-shaped face was perfectly blank, but he could see her emerald eyes dancing expressively. His dark gaze flickered behind her, taking in the tense expression on Lupin and Minerva's faces. Albus looked, as always, thoughtful and oddly happy.

Severus returned his dark gaze to the girl as she held out the parchment and quietly said, "I would like you to look at this, sir."

He almost turned away from her. Almost, but he couldn't quite bring his body to obey his mind. Instead, he watched as his long fingers wrapped around the parchment and quickly slipped it out from under her grip. He glanced down at the parchment and blinked owlishly.

He frowned heavily and stared pointedly at the paper. He felt a disoriented moment of confusion before a foreign feeling squeezed its way past his defenses. When he glanced up, Holly was smiling so brilliantly that he was blinded. That foreign feeling kept crawling slowly through his chest and up his throat as Holly let out a sudden laugh.

It echoed throughout the room as she threw herself forward and wrapped her slim arms around his waist. She hugged him tightly, just for a single second. He was so shocked that he held his arms awkwardly above her body in hopes that he wouldn't touch her any more than absolutely necessary. That smile was still on her full pink lips and her green eyes were still dancing as she said, "Thank you, Professor. You really are a brilliant teacher."

She pulled back, plucked the parchment from his numb fingertips and quietly added, "And I apologize for the rude way I spoke to you the other day."

Severus had to swallow a lump that was forming in his throat before he could say, "I guess even stubborn children can retain intelligible information."

Holly grinned and said, "Thanks, Professor."

She turned and left him stunned as she ran back toward the other people in the room. She exclaimed with a delighted laugh, "I made Outstanding marks in Potions."

END PART ONE

* * *

Holly wasn't nervous, exactly, but she didn't feel like jumping for joy either. She was standing on the platform, staring at the stunning scarlet train that would bring her home once again. She watched numbly as the Weasley family moved about in a chaotic way. Ginny and Ron were arguing over a small and rather cute owl while Mr. Weasley was talking adamantly with Remus. Ron had grown just a bit taller and his face had lost that oddly skinny look over the last few months. He looked much more manly now. Holly gulped and cast a look around, half-hoping and half-dreading to spot Hermione in the crowd. She needed to talk to her best friends.

"Are you ready yet, Miss Potter?" A quiet voice drawled sarcastically.

A smirk slowly crept over her lips as she turned her head to the right. She asked, "Are you uncomfortable with all the people, sir?"

Severus's black eyes narrowed as he curled his lip and said, "Hardly."

"I can't apologize for being slow, sir," Holly said as she rolled her trolley closer to the beautiful train. She didn't miss the fact that Snape stayed all but glued to her side.

"Of course you can't apologize," Severus scoffed, "That goes against your very character, doesn't it, Miss Potter?"

Holly maneuvered two smaller bags onto the steps of the train and watched as they magically levitated down the narrow train carts. She noted that her luggage had stored itself about a third of the way down the train before turning back to face Severus. She smiled and replied, "I know how to apologize, sir. But how can I apologize for something that makes me happy?"

Irritation grew in his black eyes. Holly found the look to be fascinating.

"You aren't too bright, girl." He hissed, "if you are willingly admitting to pissing me off just for your own amusement."

She shook her head and said, "You misunderstood. I wasn't moving slowly to irritate you. I was moving slowly, so I would get to spend more time with you."

She enjoyed watching his angry expression go completely blank. He cleared his throat and jerked his chin toward the train. He demanded, "Just get on the train and find a seat."

Holly nodded and climbed up the steps of the train. She gave him a small smile and said, "Goodbye, sir. See you at the feast tonight."

She watched him carefully as he blinked and walked away from her without another word. She felt a sting of disappointment, but squared her shoulders and went to find her seat. She listened to the shrill sound of the train's whistles while families and children chattered loudly through opened compartment windows. It took her several minutes before she found the compartment her luggage had settled itself inside. She was both relieved and anxious as she realized Hermione and Ginny were already seated inside the compartment.

As soon as she opened the sliding glass door, she was hit with the thick tension in the small room. Ginny gave her a look of irritation, but it quickly turned into one of sympathy as they both noticed the frosty expression on Hermione's face. No sooner had Holly sat down, Hermione slammed her book shut. Holly flinched as Hermione demanded, "How could you, Holly?"

"I'm sorry!" Holly burst out quickly, "I wasn't thinking that day. I panicked."

Ron's tall, broad-shouldered figure came into the compartment. He slid the glass door shut and raised a red eyebrow. He asked Hermione, "Are we yelling at her now?"

Hermione nodded and turned fierce brown eyes on Holly. Ron slipped into the seat closest to Hermione and kept a solemn expression as he turned to face Holly. Ron cleared his throat and awkwardly said, "Um, you go first, Hermione."

Hermione flicked her curly brown hair over her shoulder. Holly cringed as soon as Hermione opened her mouth and began to rant. "I _knew_ something was amiss with you last year. I _knew_ it, but you wouldn't speak to me. You purposely found ways to avoid me and Ron, so we wouldn't find out about the You-Know-Who nightmares or your scar hurting again. On top of that, you rushed off to the Ministry like an idiot."

"Without us." Ron jumped in with a sad tone, "I thought we were your friends, Holly? Your best friends? We were scared, Holiday. Image what went through our minds when we found out that you had battled with Death Eaters and faced You-Know-Who again."

Holly's heart softened as she replied quietly, "I did all of that to protect you. And I never completely ignored either of you. We attended class together and we practiced spells during D.A meetings."

Hermione gave an exasperated expression. She retorted, "That's not the same and you know it! We could have helped you! We could have fought together!"

Holly reached forward and gripped Hermione's hands in hers. She said, "I know that you and Ron would have fought with me. I know that, but you must understand that I didn't want you to. I didn't want either of you in danger."

"It doesn't matter," Ron replied, "We are all in this together, Holly. There's a war that will be starting any day now and we will be helping."

Holly's heart was caught in an icy grip by just the thought of either Ron or Hermione in danger. She glanced at Ginny, who was doing her best not to interrupt. Holly sighed and quietly said, "No. I can defeat Voldemort. I can do it and I will, but I won't allow any of you to get hurt. Not even you, Ginny."

Ginny turned away from the window and eyed her brother. She eyed her fellow Gryffindors. Two great girls who meant the world to her older brother. She nodded firmly and said, "There's no use arguing, Holly. There's plenty of people that will step up to fight against You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. Myself included."

Holly stared intently at the smaller red-headed girl. She still remembered Ginny when she had first arrived at Hogwarts. So small and timid. Manipulated and terrified. She had nearly been killed by Voldemort then. The only thing, the only person, who had stood between Ginny Weasley and Voldemort had been Holly. If it hadn't been for Holly, Ginny would have died in the Chamber of Secrets. She knew, deep down, that she was still the only person standing between Voldemort and the death of millions.

She nodded and said, "Okay."

There was a blanket of silence that fell over the four of them before Ginny began to question Hermione about her summer holiday. Holly heard none of their conversations as she thought of the Prophecy. _Neither can live while the other survives._ She closed her eyes and laid her head against the cold of the train window. She would make sure Voldemort died. There was no other choice. She would kill him or die trying. _Neither can live while the other survives._

* * *

 _ **AN:** I would appreciate Reviews. Ron and Hermione? Holly's flirtation and Severus's exasperation? What do you think?_

 _Nerdy Info: Severus always calls Remus by 'Lupin' when thinking about him. On the opposite hand, Holly's viewpoint is always speaking of Remus by his first name._


	18. Chapter 18

**AN:** _Thank you for the many readers and the few who Review:) IMPORTANT message at the bottom to follow..._

* * *

Holly hadn't realized she had fallen asleep until Ron gently shook her shoulder. He said, "Wake up, Holiday. We'll be at the castle soon. Get changed into your robes."

Ron left the compartment long enough for the three girls to slip into their standard black robes. He returned, now dressed in his own robes, before bumping shoulders with Holly and asking, "Are we good now?"

She gave a wan smile and replied, "Of course, Ron."  
He nodded and muttered quickly, "Good…because I missed you."

Surprised at his words, Holly only nodded before following him out of the compartment and off of the train. It was a dark night, but she could still see redness in Ron's cheeks. He looked stunned, as if he couldn't believe what he told her. Deciding to ignore the awkward exchange, Holly climbed into one of the numerous enchanted carriages at the end of train platform. She knew her luggage would be safely tucked away in her dormitory after the Welcoming Feast, so she didn't bother looking for her trunk. The ride was short and everyone in her carriage chatted happily. Everyone except Hermione, who kept sending Holly worried glances.

All throughout the feast, Holly tried to pay attention to the Sorting ceremony, but it was difficult to do. She was rather bored until McGonagall's announcements about Quidditch being reinstated. Dean Thomas decided to have a moment of bravery as he called out, "No more Umbridge!"

Of course, this lead to several excited cheers and even a few bold students that yelled out, "Dumbledore, Dumbledore!"

The cheering escalated until even Ron and Ginny were happily calling out to the Headmaster. Holly was smiling and when Neville Longbottom began to loudly chant, she knew she should do the same. Holly laughed and called out, "Dumbledore!"

This went on for a few moments before the Headmaster stood up from his chair. The cheering slowly died down until the room was respectfully silent. Dumbledore had a soft smile on his face as he began his opening speech. Holly was carefully observing Snape, who looked utterly indifferent to what was going on around him.

"One last thing must be brought forth before the feast." Dumbledore's powerful voice echoed around the Great Hall. "I would like to thank each and every one of you who protested against the most injustice situations that took place here at Hogwarts last school year. I would like to say that Dolores Umbridge will realize the error of her ways, but I am not too sure if that is the case."

Holly focused her gaze back on Dumbledore and was surprised to find his wise, twinkling blue eyes looking straight at her. He said, "It warms my heart to know that Hogwarts and its ideals are so important to so many of you. However, there were a select few who struck through every obstacle set in their path last year. A select few who decided to do what is right instead of what is easy."

He paused and then said, "Dumbledore's Army, if you may stand up."

Holly gasped quietly and watched as Ginny and Hermione slowly stood up. Ginny slapped Ron's shoulder and he slowly stood as well. Holly held Dumbledore's gaze for a long moment before her eyes flickered to Snape. He was watching now. And he no longer looked indifferent about the events taking place.

Holly stood up and looked around. It seemed as if half of the Gryffindor table was standing. Blinking, Holly gazed around the Great Hall and spotted Luna standing up at the Ravenclaw table. She looked at the handful of Hufflepuffs who stood. There was not a single Slytherin standing.

"These students," Dumbledore gestured grandly with his hands as his voice rose to a booming tone, "were standing against Dolores Umbridge and her unfair treatment, but that is not the most important aspect. You see, the Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you, but I believe you all have a right to know. The Dark Lord known as Voldemort has returned to power."

Dumbledore paused and began to pace. Holly gazed at all of the stunned faces. Faces of kids who were innocent. Faces of people who didn't know evil and death the way that she did. Holly's chest tightened as Dumbledore's booming voice filled the Great Hall once more.

"Over a year ago, after the death of Cedric Diggory, I told you all about Lord Voldemort's return. I am afraid very few of you believed me then. I ask you now to listen with brave ears: he has been gathering his old followers. The wizarding world is in danger in ways of which you could never conceive. I beg all of you to remain cautious in the days to come. I encourage you to all learn Defensive spells this year. There will be ample options in which to learn the spells you might need in the near future. One of these options is to participate in Dumbledore's Army."

Dumbledore gestured once more and said, "Miss Holly Potter, Miss Hermione Granger, and Mister Ronald Weasley are the founders of this defensive club. The sole purpose of their group is to show you how to defend yourself in the time of Voldemort's war. I strongly encourage you to think about joining them. At the start of next week, there will be various sign-up sheets on the notice board. The Dueling Club will be reinstated once more as well. That is all for now. You may eat."

The Great Hall was oddly quiet; which Holly was sure had never happened at a start-of-term feast before. Holly picked at her mashed potatoes and had only ate a few bites when Ron turned to her and asked, "Did Dumbledore tell you that we were to be put on the spot like that?"

Holly shook her head and took another bite of potatoes. Hermione spoke up from across the table, "He's brilliant. This was a shock factor for many students. I think this will serve to open plenty of eyes."

"This is going to put a lot more pressure on us, Hermione." Ron replied.

She nodded and bit her lip, "I suppose it will be, but that doesn't matter. In the grand scheme of things, we need as many students as possible prepared to fight."

Holly said nothing and quietly ate her baked chicken. She tossed and turned in bed that night, thinking of the sea of children's faces. Her classmates. People she had talked to. People she liked. And people she didn't. _Neither lives while the other survives._ The majority of them would die if she couldn't find a way to end Voldemort first.

When the pearly gray light of dawn began to peak through her dormitory window, Holly stood and mechanically dressed. She brushed her teeth and splashed icy cold water on her face. She didn't bother waking Hermione at such an early hour. Holly glanced at her friend and saw the peaceful edges of sleep clinging to Hermione's pretty face. She softly touched the girl's tangled brown hair and whispered, "I won't let him harm you, Hermione."

Today was the first day of classes, but Holly didn't really care. She seriously doubted she would live long enough to worry about a career. Ron was right when he said a war was coming. Holly could feel it deeply inside of her chest. It was a cold, hard, unyielding ache. It was a wordless ache that couldn't be explained. With a helpless sigh, Holly walked down the dim-lit corridor slowly.

It was still a bit too early for breakfast in the Great Hall, and Holly wasn't hungry anyways. It was certainly too early for classes to begin, so Holly walked aimlessly. She found herself in the chilly morning air, but she didn't bother pulling her robes tightly around her body. The cold was just sharp enough to bring her tired body to an alert state. Holly took a deep breath and released it quickly. It took several more repeated times before the tightness in her chest eased up.

Holly blinked and came to the edge of a hilly ridge. This was the usual route she took when going to visit Hagrid. The stone path, although steep, lead straight to Hagrid's hut. With a smile, she took off down the path and nearly tripped as she came within a few feet of Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Her smile turned into a full blown grin as she watched the massive man, in his ratty moleskin jacket, pull weeds from his small vegetable patch.

She was slightly breathless as she called out, "Hagrid!"

He turned rather quickly before his hairy face broke out into a big smile. He held up hands the size of trashcan lids and called out joyfully, "Holly! Wer' ye doin' down here? 's kina early."

She let out a slight giggle and threw herself into his waiting arms. She tried to wrap her slim arms around his waist, but couldn't even manage to wrap halfway around the massive man. He patted her head gently while chuckling. He said, "I sure am happy ter see yeh, Holly. Haven't seen yeh in a while."

"I know," She pulled back and had to look up quite a bit to see his big face. She explained bitterly, "That wretched woman from last year…"

Hagrid just smiled, "Gone now, ain' she? Knew Dumbledore would fix it."

That small bit of bitterness withered away as she looked at the earnest expression on her friend's face. She nodded and asked, "What are you doing with the garden?"

"Bin growin' stuff for Professor Snape."

Holly's interest sky-rocketed as soon as she heard his name. She tried to sound casual as she repeated, "Professor Snape?"

Hagrid nodded and gestured wildly with his big hands. Holly got the message and followed him into his shabby, and completely charming hut. Holly knew better than to try to eat the rock-hard cake Hagrid put on a plate for her. Since she was thirsty, she sipped on the overly strong tea Hagrid handed her. She was examining the chipped cup when Hagrid explained, "He needin' things fer his potions classes this year. Tha' reminds me, Professor Dumbledore says yeh made it in Advanced Potions."

Holly gave a smiled and asked, "When did he tell you that?"

"Oh," Hagrid waved his big, dirty hand and replied, "Few days ago."

Holly said, "Yeah. I managed to make Outstanding on my Potions OWL."

Hagrid's shiny black eyes glistened with genuine happiness as he replied excitedly, "Tha's jus' great, Holly. Professor Snape migh' be a mean one, but he sure is smar', ain' he, Holly? Helped yeh, righ'? Dumbledore sure thinks so."

She thought of those mysterious black eyes and that deep, superior toned voice. She grinned and said, "Oh yeah, Professor Snape is really mean and really smart."

Shortly after their conversation about Snape, Holly and Hagrid walked up the stone path and into the castle. As they entered the Great Hall, Hagrid had just finished telling Holly a funny story about dung-beetles. Hagrid smiled and waved to several students as Holly went her separate way. Hagrid called out, "Come an' see me soon, Holly. Bring Ron and 'Mione with yeh."

Holly called back, "Of course, Hagrid."

Severus watched from his usual perch at the teachers' table. Albus was close to his shoulder, happily munching on sausage and jammed toast. Albus chuckled at Minerva's whispered words. Severus rolled his eyes and, for the thousandth time in all his years of knowing Albus, wondered how the man could be so chipper so early in the morning. Severus was just taking a sip of strong black coffee when his sharp eyes caught the entrance of Rubeus Hagrid. And behind that giant of a man was none other than Holly. His dark gaze soaked up her image and immediately noticed the mud on her shoes and the bright red stain across her cheeks. She had already been outside this morning. _Gallivanting around with that big oaf, no doubt,_ Severus thought in annoyance.

"Albus," Severus drawled in a long-suffering tone, "Don't you think it would be pertinent to inform Miss Potter she shouldn't roam the grounds by herself?"

Albus raised his eyebrows and questioned, "What makes you believe Miss Potter would listen to me, Severus? After all, you and I both know her certain lack of concern for rules."

He sighed, "That is certainly what I thought you would say."

Albus chuckled, "Don't fret just yet, Severus. There will be plenty of time for that in the near future. She is safe within these walls, and she is certainly safe in the hands of Hagrid."

Severus snarled, "As much as you love him, the fact remains that the oaf couldn't cast a proper spell if his life depended upon it."

"It is much too early to be getting so upset, Severus," Albus replied calmly, "I will speak to her, if you wish. For the record, I would also like to say that Rubeus Hagrid is a wonderful man, yet very misunderstood. I trust him with my life, although others question my sanity for doing so. I do believe my sanity has been questioned when it comes to you as well, Severus, yet I disregard those who are narrow-minded about you. It is unfortunate that you are doing the same to Hagrid as others in the wizarding world do to you."

Severus's irritation died moment later. The half-giant finally came lumbering up to his seat, but not before stopping to greet everyone. He shook hands with Flitwick and nearly knocked the poor fellow out of his chair before waving at Minerva and stopping in front of Albus. The giant's shiny black eyes reminded Severus of a foolish little kid. He greeted enthusiastically, "Good mornin', Professor Dumbledore!"

Albus smiled softly and greeted, "And good morning to you, Hagrid. I see young Holly found you today."

Hagrid glanced at Gryffindor table before nodding and smiling. He said, "Yes sir. Didn' ge' ter see her las' year. She was upse' 'bout it all, but she calmed down quick once I gave her tea."

"Ah, Hagrid," Albus replied, "I'm certainly glad the two of you were about to reunite. In the times to come, I believe Holly will need her friends close by."

Hagrid's hairy face broke into a big smile as he nodded and said, "Yes sir."

Albus casually said, "I would caution you to keep your eyes wide open, Hagrid. Times are getting dark, as you well know, and Holly is at the heart of all this darkness. You will watch out for her, yes, Hagrid?"

Hagrid's expression changed drastically to one of seriousness. He nodded and replied, "O' course, sir. O' course, I always try ter watch ou' for little Holly and her friends, sir."

Albus nodded and Hagrid turned toward Severus. He gave a smile and greeted, "Good mornin', Professor Snape. Holly told me 'bout her Potions OWL. She was very happy. Jus' wanted yeh to know tha' it means a lot to her. Wasn' sure if she'd tell yeh that, sir. She's stubborn as a mule, Holly is."

Severus nodded and stiffly said, "Thank you, Hagrid."

Hagrid smiled and lumbered down the table to sit at his seat. Severus sighed quietly and took a large gulp of his now cold coffee. He cursed under his breath and stood up. He stalked out of the Great Hall, but the only eyes watching him were emerald green.

* * *

 **AN:** _I would like the readers' thoughts on the length of chapters. I have 99,000 words written, but was trying to space out this story because I have yet to actually complete the ending. Drop a Review and let me know what YOU want: Continue as is, post a bigger chapter each week, post smaller chapters twice a week…? I certainly don't want any bored and leaving in frustration before the completion. I have PLENTY that will happen, but it seems some readers are getting frustrated at the pace...Help me out, please? Thanks. -Taytay123456_


	19. Chapter 19

**AN:** _Thank you for the R &Rs! A special 'thanks' to those who have provided advice/comments so far. Important message to follow at the bottom..._

* * *

Holly was happy with her class schedule, although Ron thought her schedule was an absolute nightmare. He was happy enough that himself, Holly, and Hermione had Care of Magical Creatures together as well as Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms class. Ron and Holly had both received failing marks for their History OWL, so neither of them took that class with Hermione anymore.

Ron asked, "Do you and Hermione have Potions together?"

Holly replied, "Yes. Three times a week after lunch."

"Oh, Merlin, are you sure you want that?"

Holly laughed and nodded, "Yes. If I want to be an Auror, I have to take Potions."

"But…but…" Ron shuddered and stated, "I wouldn't have taken Potions even if I could have managed a passing level on my OWL."  
"Which you didn't." Hermione added as she came briskly walking their way. Ron raised an eyebrow and asked, "How did your first class go?"

Hermione grinned brightly and chirped, "It was wonderful."

"Who else gets that happy over Muggle Studies besides Hermione?"

Holly and Ron laughed good-naturedly as Hermione rolled her eyes. She retorted, "At least Holly and I are taking our courses seriously. Ronald, what have you been doing all morning?"  
Ron grinned and proudly said, "I had a whole hour to myself. A free period."

They walked across the ground and made their way to Hagrid's hut. Holly pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and handed an elastic band to Hermione. Hermione began to pull her bush hair into a ponytail as well. Ron asked, "Why are you two messing with your hair?"

"Because, Ronald," Hermione answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "Hagrid will likely be asking us to deal with another creature. Our hair is so long that it will get in the way."

They waited patiently and somewhat anxiously as Hagrid talked in an excited voice. After Hagrid introduced them to an odd creature with purple tentacles and dozens of beady eyes, Ron was looking slightly green. He murmured, "What is that?"

Hermione quietly whispered, "It's called a Multisquid."

He frantically whispered, "It looks disgusting."

As Hagrid babbled in front of the group, Hermione whispered to Holly and Ron, "It's simply a squid that changes its skin color as a defense mechanism. They are remarkable because they can live on land as well as in the water. It can shoot poisonous ink, but they only do that when scared."

Hagrid called out happily, "Now, who wants to hold her?"

Holly glanced around at the students before sighing and stepping forward. She slipped off her outer robe, handed it to Hermione, and rolled up the sleeve of her uniform shirt. She said, "I'll hold it, Hagrid."

She kept her gaze focused on a large pumpkin directly behind Hagrid as the Multisquid slowly touched her skin. It was clammy and slimy, which nearly made Holly shiver. The creature was rather small and wrapped numerous spindly tentacles around her forearm. There was an unpleasant sucking feeling, but it wasn't painful. Holly couldn't help but wince as those beady eyes blinked owlishly at her. The Multisquid began to climb its way up her arm. As it came closer to her face, it made a slurping sound and left a trail of clear, cold slime in its wake.

She watched in a frozen state of curiosity as the little Multisquid began to change from a brownish color to a sickening grayish. Holly blinked and glanced down to look at its tentacles, which were clinging tightly to the bunched up sleeve of her gray uniform shirt. Hagrid clapped and happily said, "Look a' this, kids! Changin' color ter match Holly's clothes. Interestin' little creatures, huh?"

A few Gryffindors stepped forward and made comments about the Multisquid. Holly took a deep breath as Hagrid asked, "Who else wan's to hold her?"

Holly was relieved when Hagrid coaxed the Multisquid to release her arm. She wiped hopelessly at her slimy arm for the rest of the class period. By the time Care of Magical Creatures ended, Holly's arm was no better. Ron stated, "You must be crazy, Holly. Honestly, look at that nasty stuff on your arm."

"I can see it just fine," Holly huffed, "I can feel it too."

Once they entered Professor Flitwick's class, Hermione cast a simple cleaning charm and thankfully the cold slime disappeared from Holly's arm. She whispered, "Thanks."

After pulling her sleeve down, Holly slipped into her robes and focused her attention on Professor Flitwick. The students were split into pairs halfway through class and asked to attempt the levitating charm Professor Flitwick had been demonstrating for the past half hour. Hermione managed to levitate Ron on her very first try, which didn't surprise anyone at all. Holly focused and repeated the spell in her mind multiple times before pointing her wand at a fellow classmate and casting. Holly grinned broadly as she flicked her wand and slowly moved a Ravenclaw girl about the room.

The Ravenclaw scowled and said, "Very funny. Now, put me down."

Holly maneuvered her wand and gently brought the girl to the floor. She was quite annoyed with Holly's solid performance and attempted to toss Holly across the room, but her spell was weak and only allowed Holly to float a few inches off of the ground before Holly dropped back down. At the end of class, everyone began to gather their belongings. Ron said, "It figures that I can't get it at all."

"I'll help you, Ron." Hermione replied soothingly, "You had me levitating on several occasions. You did fine."

They began to walk down the corridor as Ron retorted, "It only worked twice and you barely moved more than an inch off of the ground."

Holly and Hermione did so well that Holly knew there was no point in arguing with Ron. Instead, she went straight to the Great Hall for lunch. She had a plate piled high of delicious food by the time Hermione and Ron joined her. She pushed the overflowing plate toward Ron and casually said, "The kidney pie is great. So is that casserole."

Ron munched in gloomy silence for several minutes while Hermione kept giving Holly helpless glances. Holly ate only half of her serving before pushing the plate away and taking a long gulp of pumpkin juice. She asked, "Hey, Ron? Do you want help me plan Quidditch try outs?"

He swallowed a mouth full of food before saying, "Why are you the one planning try outs?"

Holly smiled and said, "I went to sign-up early this morning. Imagine my surprise when I found the notice board with a Gryffindor Quidditch sign-up sheet that already had a chosen Captain."

Ron's blue eyes were as round as saucers as he replied, "You?"

Holly gave a smiled and nodded, "I'm going to need loads of help. I'm not good enough to be Captain. I really think you'll help us win."

"Oh, I'll help, Holiday." Ron grinned, "I have a booklet filled with loads of plays I've managed to come up with. Some of them have been put to good use when we all play at the Burrow. Oh, man, this will be great. I can be the Captain's adviser."

Holly replied, "You can be more than the adviser. I want you on the team."

Ron's face showed yearning and terror as he stuttered, "W-Well, I…I'm not…"

"I think that's a great idea," Hermione said, "You love the sport and nobody knows more about the game than you do, Ron."

"That settles it." Holly stood up and ruffled Ron's hair before saying, "Hermione and I will see you after Potions class for dinner. After the feast, we will grab the sign-up sheet and see who we have to work with for the new team. We'll set up a date for try outs and make sure everybody knows."

Hermione and Holly made their way to the dungeons in a brisk haste. They made it with only seconds to spare. As they came sliding into the cold dungeon classroom, they were both surprised to see only Snape occupying the room. He was sitting at his desk, but looked up from his paperwork when they arrived. He raised a perfectly arched brow and asked, "Well, are you two going to sit down or continue to stare like idiots?"

Hermione was irritated, which Holly could tell by the way her friend abruptly slapped her books on a nearby table. Holly tried not to blush as she felt Snape's heavy gaze on her. Carefully, she set her brand new Advanced Potions textbook on the table and began to pull her cauldron out of her pocket. She whispered, _"Engorgio."_ The matte black cauldron returned to its normal size. She watched Hermione do the same before Hermione whispered, "Where is everybody else?"

"There is no one else who will be taking Potions at this exact time, Miss Granger." Snape's dark voice replied as he came to stand right in front of them. She jumped as if startled before looking down at her cauldron. He turned and met Holly's gaze straight on before explaining, "Very few have what it takes to handle advanced levels of potion-making. The occasion when a student shows potential is rare. I have only twelve students, in both their sixth and seventh year, who are participating in N.E.W.T level potions classes. I want to ensure that they have every bit of experience to prepare for N.E.W.T exams."

He paused before finishing, "Therefore, I have each N.E.W.T level student separated according to their house. This leads to less rivalry distractions. Can I expect you two to maintain a focus on potion-making or should I separate both of you to opposite sides of my classroom?"

Hermione replied, "No sir. We will focus."

Holly didn't reply. She kept staring at Snape. There was a silent moment before Snape shook his head and jerked his angular chin toward the west wall. He firmly instructed, "Move your equipment over there, Miss Potter. You distract much easier than Miss Granger. I might as well save myself the trouble early on."

Holly did so without complaint, although she was annoyed. She took a deep breath and gave Hermione an eye roll before focusing on Snape's words. He was standing at the front of the room and wasted no time before saying, "Open to page twenty-five. We will begin with Healing Potions and will likely spend the next several week focusing solely on the Healing Potions I find to be the most useful…"

The class was over two hours long, but Holly was so caught up in the lesson that she was surprised when Snape said, "Both your potions have the correct coloring. They have heated enough, so turn your fire off."

Holly glanced at Hermione and noted the slightly frazzled look on her friend's face. Holly dipped her ladle into her potion and allowed it to cool for a moment before carefully pouring the bright red liquid into a glass vial. She capped the vial and waited until Snape walked toward her. Because she was curious, she purposely ran her fingertips over his palm as she handed him the potion sample. His eyes flashed fiercely with emotions she couldn't quite place before he whirled around and curtly said, "Read pages twenty-eight to thirty. Familiarize yourself with the next potion because you will be making that potion next time."

Both girls packed their equipment as quietly as possible. Hermione finished first and she waited patiently by Holly's table. Snape was sitting at his desk, but he looked up and noticed Hermione hovering near Holly. He snapped, "You may leave, Miss Granger."

She hesitated for only a second before nodding and leaving the dungeon. Snape's hard gaze lingered on Holly before he said, "Come here, Miss Potter."

Holly left her satchel on the table and walked slowly to Snape's desk. She asked, "Did I do something wrong, sir?"

"Surprisingly not," He replied dryly, "What has happened to your hand?"

Frowning, Holly lifted her palms and examined them. At first, she confusingly thought he meant her crude white scar that said: _I shall not tell lies._ But that was stupid because Snape knew about her scar. It took Holly a moment before she realized there was a splotchy purple spot along the back of her other hand. She wiped roughly at it, thinking it was some sort of stain, but winced when the sudden movement caused pain.

She mumbled, "Uh, it's a bruise, sir."

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Indeed, Miss Potter. Allow me to heal it."

She blinked and gazed down at the dark purple splotch. It was no bigger than a coin, but she held her hand on the side of his desk and quietly said, "Yes sir."

Snape pulled a vial from his desk drawer and reached for her wrist. Yet the moment his long fingers wrapped around her wrist she felt an unexpected sharp pain. She winced and jerked her arm out of his grasp with a gasp. Snape's eyes filled with suspicion as he demanded, "Pull the sleeve of your robe up, Miss Potter."

Holly was confused at the pain and confused about Snape's suddenly worried expression. She fumbled with the sleeve of her robe and shirt. When the skin of her arm was finally visible, she felt black spots dance on the edge of her vision. She could only think, _what in the hell is this?_

Severus felt a jolt of panic thunder through his body and mind as he came lunging around the back of his desk. His slim fingers hovered over Holly's arm as he examined the damage with wise, sharp eyes. Her pale skin was covered in a random pattern of dark purple splotches, but that wasn't the worst. The true damage lied within the black spidery veins weaving their way along the normally pale skin of Holly's arm. He asked quietly, "Are you cold?"

"What?" Holly asked in a shaky voice.

"Are you cold?" Severus demanded loudly as he gently touched her arm and glanced at her face. She maintained a look of bewilderment, but her beautiful emerald eyes were wide and alert. That was enough to cause some of his panic to ease.

"Yes," Holly replied, "But I'm always cold when in the dungeons."

"We're going to Dumbledore." He turned and quickly grabbed several colorful vials out of his desk before slipping them in his pocket. He demanded, "Follow me. If you find that you can't walk any longer, tell me immediately."

Holly hastily grabbed her satchel and clumsily tried to hold the strap to her shoulder as they raced down the corridor. She asked, "Professor, what's wrong with my arm? What's happening?"

"You've been poisoned, Miss Potter." Severus replied in a tight voice, "It doesn't seem to be Dark Magic at work, although it has had plenty of time to spread throughout the right side of your body."

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 **AN:** _1) I have changed the weekly update to **Mondays. ** 2) I will soon be updating **twice** a week, but I will talk about that more next time I post. 3) This is more of a love story than an action-packed story. There will be plenty of war-related scenes, but that is mostly in Part Three (the last segment) of this story... Also, Reviews are love:) _


	20. Chapter 20

**AN:** _I apologize for the delay on posting. Site has been down for a few days. Thanks to all for the reading and reviewing! Here is another favorite chapter of mine. Know that comments and thoughts on this chapter would be really appreciated._

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She found herself to be slightly dizzy, but it could have easily been for the nauseating images of her injured arm dancing through her mind. As they came to a stop in front of the impressive stone eagle Snape snapped, "Acid pops."

He reached behind him, grabbed her satchel and slung it over his shoulder. He eyed her intently before asking, "Can you still walk? What symptoms do you have?"

Holly stepped onto the spiraling stone steps and murmured, "I feel a bit dizzy and cold. Other than that, I'm fine, Professor."

"How did you not notice this?" He demanded quickly, "Do you know how this injury came about?"

Holly shook her head and hesitantly replied, "…Maybe a Multisquid?"  
"A Multisquid?" Severus repeated with a blank expression. Several moments passed until they came to an abrupt halt. An outraged expression came across Severus's face as he threw Dumbledore's doors open and barreled in. He bellowed, "Albus! That ignorant, ill-informed, clumsy, sorry-excuse-for-a-teacher has crossed the line this time."

Albus Dumbledore was sitting behind his large mahogany desk and wore a bewildered expression. That expression turned to one of worry as he held up a hand and asked, "What seems to be the matter, Severus?"

Severus turned, but despite his rage, his fingers were gentle as they steered Holly toward one of the plush chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. He spoke in a hard voice, "Hold out your arm, Holly."

She felt warm by hearing her name fall from his mouth. She carefully extended her arm and watched Dumbledore frown deeply. He stood and came closer to examine her arm. He asked, "Did this happen during Care of Magical Creatures class, Holly?"

She shrugged and noticed the stiffness now settling into her damaged arm. She said, "The Multisquid attached itself to my arm. It didn't hurt, but it left slime on me that wouldn't come off until Hermione used a cleaning spell."

Severus sighed hotly, "I want Madam Pomfrey in here this instant. I have several antidotes at my disposal, but I know she has dealt with Multisquids before. I never have."

"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore snapped his fingers and two house-elves appeared. Both wore fluffy white towels with the Hogwarts crest on their chests. Dumbledore kindly said, "I need you both to alert Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall to come to my office. Holly is in need of immediate assistance."

"Yes sir," Both elves squeaked before disappearing with loud popping noises.

"Here, Holly," Severus bent lower and demanded, "Keep still."

She became as still as a mountain. She barely breathed as she watched Severus work on her arm. The thin, black lines were coursing their way through her veins. She blinked as black spots danced before her eyes. She asked, "Will this kill me?"

She was surprised how steady her voice sounded.

"If left untreated, yes," Dumbledore gave a kind smile, "But neither I nor Severus would allow that to happen."

Severus worked quietly and it gave her time to watch him with a legitimate excuse for doing so. His black hair was much like motor oil for Muggle cars; it gave off hints of blue coloring, depending on the angle of light hitting it. His nose was big, but she thought a big nose fit the long and angular characteristics of his face. Without such a defining nose, she thought he would look odd. His cheekbones were high and gave off an almost exotic feel. His lips were thin and when they twitched into a rare smirk, her heart would skip a beat. She knew the exact shape and color of his eyes without having to look at them. His eyes were a pure and completely unique black, which was unheard of. She was pretty sure the color and fierce look of his gaze was why so many people couldn't look Snape in the eyes.

Snape finally pulled away from his dutiful work on her arm. He uncapped a vial of a sky-blue potion and instructed, "Drink this."

She took it, sniffed it, and then gulped it down in one go. It coated her throat and slipped down her stomach before warming her entire body. She and Severus both watched her arm intently as the splotchy bruises faded away. The black spidery veins were a lighter gray color now, but she supposed she was still in danger.

Severus demanded, "What do you plan on doing, Albus?"

Dumbledore blinked and sighed, "I will speak to Hagrid. I told him to inform me of all creatures he plans on using in his curriculum and he has done just that. This incident does not fall to blame with Hagrid, but myself."

"Hardly so, Albus." Severus huffed, "The oaf isn't fit to teach unless supervised. I think you should realize this by now."

"He isn't an oaf!" Holly jumped up from her chair and glared at Snape, "This isn't any person's fault, but my own. I should have noticed that the Multisquid poisoned me. I was fully aware of what it was capable of before I offered to hold it."

Dumbledore calmly said, "There is no need for- "

Severus interrupted him with a snarl, "That's just like you. Take the blame for what others are doing wrong in a stupid and misguided attempt to save them. Can't you ever use your brain and not your emotions to guide you?"

"Hagrid is my _friend,"_ Holly retorted hotly, "He would never hurt me on purpose. This isn't his fault, Snape. I was too caught up in my classes to notice the poison. You noticed it and we are curing me now, so everything is fine."

"Of course," Severus scoffed, "The simplest line of thinking possible. I shouldn't expect anything else from you, should I? You aren't dead, so everything can continue as usual. Honestly, you annoy me to no end with all your nonsense."

There was less than a second silence before Holly snapped peevishly, "What else do you want me to say or think?"

Severus slammed his palms onto the side of Dumbledore's desk and snarled, "I want you to realize the jeopardy you put yourself in with your careless ways. If I had not noticed the bruises on your hand you would have died by morning, Holly."

The was a grinding sound and then Dumbledore's doors opened once more. Holly didn't turn because she couldn't tear her eyes away from the stunning sight of an angry Severus Snape. They continued to glower at one another with a potent mix of fury and worry that Severus didn't want to admit to. Dumbledore kindly greeted, "Poppy, Minerva, how good of you to join us. I'm afraid Holly has had a run in with the poison of a Multisquid."

"Oh, well, how did that happen, Miss Potter?" McGonagall asked firmly.

Holly blinked and mumbled, "Care of Magical Creatures class."

She sighed and asked Albus in a crisp voice, "We will be speaking to Hagrid about this, right, Albus?"

"Of course, Minerva." Albus said, "Now, Poppy, Severus has already given Holly that stupendous balm of his creation. It has healed her bruises, but his antidote has only lessened the effects of the poison."

Poppy replied, "I still have a large batch of your antidote for water creatures, Severus. It seemed to work the year that Hufflepuff girl startled a school of Multisquid while jumping in the lake."

"I was unaware that you still had that potion in your possession," Severus replied curtly, "Yes. It will work. Come along, girl."

He stepped forward and steered Holly toward the door with his hand. The revulsion from such a nickname welled up inside of Holly's chest and spilled from her lips hotly, "I have a name, you know. I've told you before I would rather you use it."

He sighed heavily and tried to ignore the stunned glances Poppy was sending Holly's way. He dryly said, "Shut up, Potter."

 _"Ugh"_ She complained irritably, "Don't call me that either."

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Severus replied, "I'll take another twenty if you mention your name again."

Holly stayed silent while they walked to the hospital wing. She was silent while Poppy fed her spoonful after spoonful of a disgustingly thick potion that tasted like seaweed. After she finished, Poppy gave her a glass of water. Holly drank the whole thing, wiped her mouth and asked, "You couldn't have tried to make it taste any better, _sir?"_

Severus's face stayed expressionless as he said, "Ten points from Gryffindor."

Poppy sighed and firmly said, "I would like you to stay here for the night, Miss Potter. The poison is working its way out of your system, but it is safer for you to be monitored throughout the night."

Holly rolled her eyes and waited several minutes more until Madam Pomfrey disappeared to her office. Holly muttered, "Finally left in peace."

"I wouldn't say so quite yet," Severus waved his wand and a black chair appeared beside him. He sat down and snapped his fingers. An elf appeared and Snape raised an eyebrow at the elf's attire. It wore the usual white towel with the Hogwarts crest, but also had mismatched socks and an orange tie around its neck.

The little elf squeaked, "Professor Snape, sir. How may I be of service, sir?"

"I need a platter of dinner for Miss Potter and myself." Snape said.

The elf squeaked, turned around, spotted Holly, and jumped on top of the bed. He was careful to avoid trampling Holly as he excitedly said, "Hi, Holly Potter! Hi, how are you? What is wrong, Holly Potter? Who has injured you?"

Holly gave a tired smile and replied, "I had a run in with a Multisquid."

"Oh, Holly Potter must be careful." Dobby pulled on his long ears and stated in his high-pithed voice, "Dobby will get you the best dinner and desserts. Dobby will be right back."

He disappeared only to pop back into the hospital wing less than two minutes later. Holly was impressed as the little elf went about setting up two small tables and piling food high. Dobby smiled and cheerfully asked, "Would you like Dobby to serve Holly Potter and Professor Snape plates?"

"No." Severus snapped, "You may leave, Dobby."

Holly turned and glared openly at Snape before turning back to Dobby and saying, "Thank you for the food. See you later, Dobby."

Dobby squeaked, "Come and see me in the kitchens. Bring your friends, Holly Potter. Us elves would love the noble company of Holly and her friends."

Holly gave a genuine smile as she said, "I will. Bye, Dobby."

Dobby grinned and excitedly replied, "Bye, Holly Potter. See you soon."

Snape raised an eyebrow and stated dryly, "Another blinded follower of the heroic Holly Potter?"

She rolled her eyes and asked, "Why do you purposely try to hurt me?"

Snape replied curtly, "Watch your tongue, little girl."

"I'm not a little girl," Holly retorted hotly as she struggled to throw her leg over the edge of the bed. She added, "And I wouldn't argue with you as much if you would occasionally act nice. You should try it, sir."

"Fifteen points from Gryffindor," Snape said quietly, "And if I ever want your opinion, I will ask for it, Miss Potter. Now, eat your dinner and go to bed."

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 **AN:** _I will be posting again on Saturday night, June 18th, as long as the site remains in working order. I do adore this chapter and would love your input. -taytay123456_


	21. Chapter 21

**AN:** Thank you for all the readers! The website has been acting up for over a week, so I apologize for all the odd updates. This chapter is super important to me, so I would really love Reviews. Even if it is just one word Reviews. :)

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After Holly was released from the hospital wing the following morning, she had gone straight to Dumbledore's office and asked him not to bother Hagrid. Dumbledore had admitted that Snape did have a point about the welfare of the students, which made Holly feel guilty. In the end, Dumbledore himself showed up to every Care of Magical Creature class for the next several weeks. Holly was relieved to see that he never once stepped in and bothered Hagrid's teaching methods. Instead, he sat happily in the pumpkin patch and observed.

Holly made sure only Ron and Hermione knew about the Multisquid poisoning and she spent several days hoping the rest of the school didn't find out. She spent a solid week ignoring Snape as best she could. Holly had a suspicion, after their tense Potions lessons over the summer holidays, that Snape didn't like it when he was ignored. She pointedly avoided his gaze and dropped her eyes when he was near her. She didn't voluntary information in class unless Snape asked. Even then, she offered only a few words in reply. She made sure to stay silent and she tried to keep her face expressionless.

It was at the very end of September, the day before Quadditch try-outs, when Snape finally demanded, "Miss Granger, you are free to leave. Potter, stay behind."

Holly didn't bother looking at either Hermione or Snape as she slowly packed her equipment. She washed her hands thoroughly at the dip sink toward the back of the classroom before Severus snapped, "Hurry up, Miss Potter."

Holly dried her hands on her robes at the pace of a snail before walking back to her table and slipping her satchel over her shoulder. She walked up to Snape's desk and forced herself not to look at him. Eyes lowered, she waited for him to speak. There was a long and anxiety-filled minute of silence before Snape demanded, "Look at me."

Jaw locked, Holly kept her eyes on a speck of dirt on the floor.

He asked sarcastically, "Can you not hear, Miss Potter? Look at me."

Holly didn't move at all. She hardly breathed.

His tone was that of outrage as he growled like a wolf, "I told you to _look at me."_

She was startled as he suddenly jumped up and came nimbly around the side of his desk. She could feel her heart beating wildly. When she glanced up by the tiniest degree she could see his long, dark-clad legs right in front of her. His voice was quiet and lethal as he said, "I suggest you think deeply, Miss Potter, before you defy me again. I will not ask anymore."

Holly felt great apprehension, but she still didn't bother moving. She hoped desperately that he would reach out. That he would touch her. That he would give her some sign, some small piece of hope that she could cling to. The last time he had given her _anything_ at all had been during the summer, on her birthday, when he had carried her across the gully. She barley recalled the time, but she dreamt of it with a distorted quality on a regular basis. Part of her was sure that it had been real. After all, her dream of his sneering voice as he carried her down Privet Drive had matched the story Remus had given her.

Snape let out a sound of absolute irritation before his pale hand snaked toward and gripped her chin firmly. She was stunned, so completely stunned, that he had touched her face. Holly barely had time to rearrange her facial expression before he put pressure on her chin. She let him draw her chin upward and then their eyes met. It was a clash of black and green that melted, blended, and stayed locked together. She whispered, "You hate it when I don't look you in the eyes."

She tried to read the emotions in his opaque eyes, but she couldn't understand what was there. She felt him loosen his grip on her chin. Felt him begin to back away from her, so she reached out in a panic and slapped one of her hands across his wrist to hold his palm against her face. Both of their hands remained on the side of her chin. She never looked away from him as she gingerly slid their joined hands over her face until his smooth, warm hand was cupping her cheek. She whispered, "I wish you would stop being so angry all the time. Please, I just want…"

She hesitated in an attempt to word her nearly unexplainable feelings, but that was enough time for Severus to come to his senses. He forcefully yanked his hand away from her face and curtly said, "Leave. Now."

She felt another pang of pain hit her in the heart as she replied shakily, "Just listen to me, please. I know you feel the same. Why do you keep acting this way?"

"Get out, Miss Potter." Severus's voice lacked emotion as he turned and began to pace the length of the classroom.

Anger sliced through her pain as she retorted, "No."

He halted his pacing and whirled around. His eyes were shining with a fury as he snarled, "You are under a false pretense that I care for you on a level past that of student and teacher. You need to get this idea out of your head before I drop you from my class, Miss Potter. Make no mistake that I won't do just that."

Her entire body trembled as she said, "You're bluffing. You won't kick me out of the class. If you didn't care, then you wouldn't have protected me during my first Quadditch game. If you didn't care, you wouldn't have defended me right after Misses Norris was Petrified…back when everyone believed I was the one opening the Chamber of Secrets."

Hands trembling, she took a step forward and continued, "If you didn't care, you wouldn't have joined Dumbledore and turned to spy on Voldemort's plans. You wouldn't have taught me Occlumency. You wouldn't have helped me study for my OWL exam or been my bodyguard all the times I had to shop in Diagon Alley. You wouldn't have been so angry when you found me drunk and you certainly wouldn't have carried my drunk body all the way to Grimmauld Place. If you didn't care, you would have left me stupidly vulnerable with Shawn."

"What is your point?" Severus asked after Holly finished her rant. "Do you wish for me to tell you that I think of you as a duty to uphold? I do. You are necessary to ending Voldemort, so I care to keep you safe. I was a spy long before you became a duty to me. Therefore, my becoming a spy has nothing to do with you at all. Miss Potter, you are my student and as a teacher, no matter how difficult it might be to believe, I do care about the education of my students. Other than those I have listed, I don't care. You are under a delusion that I care for you on a romantic level."

The tears came unabridged and raw. She wiped pitifully at them before glaring in his direction. Her voice was trembling as she whispered, "You're lying."

His eyes were soft; which Holly had only seen one time before. It had been the day in Grimmauld Place when they had heatedly argued over this exact same thing. Over her feelings for him. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her shaking body as she said, "I can see how you look at me when you think I'm not watching…because it's the exact same way I look at you. It is how you're looking at me right now."

There was no reassurance from him, but neither was there denial. They continued to stare at each other with flowing emotions that wrapped around both of them and squeezed tightly. His voice was but a thread of sound as he said, "You're going to miss the dinner feast if you keep talking, Miss Potter."

"I don't care." She snapped passionately, "I don't care, Snape. Don't you see that? Haven't I proved that yet? I don't care about anything else. I want you. That's what I should have said the day we argued at Grimmauld Place. As stupid as you may think it is, I want you."

Just for a second, Holly was sure that she saw a crack in his expressionless face. There was a single moment in time where she caught a look of longing cross his face before he pushed it down and locked it far away. So far away that she couldn't reach it anymore. His dark eyes were still soft and filled with chaotic, swirling emotions. It took a moment longer before those eyes became expressionless as well. Severus whispered, "I'm aware of your feelings, Miss Potter. You have made them clear and I'm going to have to ask you to not bring them forth ever again."

Her breath caught in her throat and she felt stabbing pain in her chest. She had to suck in a large gust of air before she said, "You're just hurting us both by doing this."

She could see how taunt his body was, but he didn't change expression. He stayed solemn and gazed pointedly away from her bent over figure. She wiped at the tears still leaking down her face as she headed for the door. She flung sharp words over her shoulder that left him deeply wounded. "You're still lying to yourself and to me. You care way more than you want to admit."

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 **AN:** _So, what do you think about their first really emotionally raw conversation? I will try to update Thursday, June 23rd._


	22. Chapter 22

**AN:** _Thank you to all who are reading and Reviewing. I received some super sweet Reviews lately. **Finally,** we have reached the point that I will be bringing in a favorite aspect of the Wizarding World: Quidditch:)..._

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Holly cried herself to sleep that night, although she had enough sense to cast a silencing charm around her bed beforehand. She woke before the sun after only a few hours of restless sleep. With her beloved Firebolt in her hand, she marched out of the Gryffindor common-room and snuck out of the castle. She took several deep breaths as she made her way down to the Quidditch pitch. It was the first of October, but the first snow fall had yet to happen. From past experience, Holly guessed it would be another three weeks until snow would fall. Nonetheless, Holly wished she would have had the forethought to grab a thicker coat and her scarf before leaving the dorm.

It was a cold and early Saturday morning, so there were no classes to prepare for. Holly wore dark denim jeans and a maroon sweater that Mrs. Weasley had lovingly made the Christmas before. Over the Muggle clothing, she wore a thin black robe with a blazing lion emblem on the chest pocket. Her hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, so her ears were left unprotected from the weather. The tip of her nose was already beginning to freeze as Holly mounted her broom.

With a firm kick, she was five feet off the ground. Expertly gripping the smooth handle, Holly leaned forward and the Firebolt jetted through the air as quickly and as dangerously as a charging lion. She took a couple laps around the pitch, so highly above the ground that the stands looked small in comparison to their actual size. Her breath was coming out in puffing clouds and her body was growing stiff from the cold, but she didn't care. She felt all of her emotional turmoil drop from her shoulders like one might shrug off a coat.

She used her thighs to hold tightly to the broom while she locked her ankles and slowed the broom to an average speed. She lifted her arms high above her head and laughed. She threw her head back and let out a hoot of enjoyment. She gripped the handle once more and spent several minutes whirling and twirling and spinning and ducking before she noticed the sprinkled dots of students linger much lower to the ground. She shot down quickly and landed on the wet morning grass with perfect accuracy. She beamed at Ron when she caught him excitedly grinning.

He said, "That was wicked cool, Holiday."  
Holly grinned back and asked, "Is Hermione over there in the stands?"

"Yes," Ron grinned, "Her, Luna, and Neville."

Holly watched as several younger girls stood by and talked in annoyingly high-pitched voices. There were many kids who looked to be no more than eleven or twelve years old. There were people Holly had never seen before. Some were whispering to each other. Some were laughing rudely as they joked about. Holly even noticed two boys scarfing down jam and toast toward the back of the group. Frowning, she looked at Ron and Ginny.

Ron muttered, "You have to take control, Holiday."

"Yeah," Ginny added, "Show them that you mean business, Captain."

Holly blinked and called out loudly, "Okay. Listen up! If you aren't here to take this seriously, I suggest you leave now. I don't have time for those who don't genuinely care about this sport."

There were a few snickers from nearby. Holly whirled around glared at the crowd before pointing to the two boys stuffing toast down their throats. She asked, "Who are you two? This isn't time for breakfast. The both of you…wait, hold on."

She squinted at the front of their robes and demanded, "Are you two even Gryffindors? Is that a badger I see? Ugh, go sit in the stands."

The two Hufflepuffs walked off grumbling with one another. Holly called out, "Hufflepuff try outs are scheduled for after lunch!"

She shook her head and demanded, "I want everyone to line up neatly over to the left. Mount your brooms and we will go from there."  
Her gaze was sharp and her mind was completely focused spotting true talent and skill. She nodded as she walked down the line of Gryffindors. Ron, Ginny, Katie Bell and several older Gryffindors were sitting atop their brooms and waiting further instructions. Holly turned and was about to ask them all to take a few laps around the field when she noticed the end of the line.

A handful of younger kids were a sad mess. One girl was tittering on her broom with utter terror written all over her face. Another was hanging upside down on her broom as it hovered a few inches off of the ground. Two boys were chattering excitedly as they managed to stay upright and hover in sloppy circles. Holly sighed as she jogged over and quickly helped each girl off of their broom. They both thanked Holly with shaky voices.

Holly handed each of them their brooms and suggested, "Why don't you both practice some more and try again next year?"

The girls nodded and took off before she had time to say another word. She sighed and went to the two boys. She had to be much sterner with them after they ignored her the first two times she asked them to get off of the field. After properly scaring the little boys away, she turned back and eyed a couple fourth years. She ran a hand through her messy ponytail and sighed heavily before calling out, "If you know you can't even do basic routine maneuvers, I'm going to have to ask you to leave now."

Two of the fourth year girls shared a hesitant look before they dismounted their brooms and slowly walked off of the pitch. She took a deep breath and mounted her own broom before saying, "The rest of you need to take a few laps around the field. I'll be throwing up the Quaffle soon."

It wasn't long before she realized Ginny had the speed and accuracy to be a solid Chaser. Katie Bell, who was in her final year at Hogwarts, had been a Chaser on the team with Holly for a few years before. Mentally, Holly had already decided those two were easily the most skilled ones. A drawn out practice followed, in which numerous Gryffindors beat Bludgers toward each other while Ginny and Katie played with the Quaffle. The girls kept ducking and weaving while Ron attempted to keep them from scoring; Holly soon found that Ron was decent enough at Keeping. After watching several close call incidents, she decided Dean Thomas and Cormac McLaggen were the only boys strong enough to be Beaters.

She was sure of each player and their position now, but was hesitant about the third and final Chaser position. She couldn't decide between a seventh year Gryffindor boy who showed excellent accuracy when scoring from both far and close distances or a fifth year boy by the name of Jimmy Peakes who moved much more swiftly and scored decently.

She sent a small stream of white sparks into the air before lowering her wand and calling out, "Alright. I have decided and will have the posted names of those who made the team on the notice board by tonight."

Hermione met Ron, Ginny, and Holly at the far south end of the pitch. She greeted them all before saying, "I think that went well toward the end."

Holly rolled her eyes and replied, "Did you see all of those young kids running amuck? Oh, Merlin, I'm so tired. I want a gallon of pumpkin juice and my bed."

Ron said, "Me too, but more importantly…who made the team?"

Holly gave a tired smile and quietly said, "Both you and Ginny."

"Of course, I did." Ginny snorted, "There wasn't much talent out there at all, Holly. I'm not the best Quidditch player around, but even I know that I did well."

Holly replied, "You're actually great, Ginny, but you are right about one thing. That was a mess out there. I decided on Dean and Cormac for Beaters, but it had little to do with talent. They were the only guys out there strong enough to hit the Bludgers hard enough."

"Am I Keeper?" Ron asked as they seated themselves down to eat an early lunch. Holly sat down across from Ron while Hermione sat to her right. Ginny sat beside Hermione and they all reached for various platters of food.

"Yes," She answered her friend, "You did well, Ron."

"Who are your Chasers?" Ginny asked as she took a large gulp of pumpkin juice.

Holly poured an ice-cold glass of her own juice before saying, "You, Katie, and that fifth year boy named Jimmy."

Ginny nodded as if that choice made perfect sense. Her reaction had Holly feeling relieved. They ate in silence for a moment and Holly had to fight the urge to turn and look toward the teachers' table; she could feel Snape's heavy gaze.

Hermione said, "I was sure you would pick Katie to be your Chaser. After all, she has played on the team before."

"Yeah, she's good." Holly answered vaguely as she sucked down her pumpkin juice. She poured another healthy dose and was drinking that as well when Hermione began to ask Ron and Ginny about a particular charm that she found interesting. Holly couldn't even bother to pay attention to her friends when she felt Snape's stare heavier than usual. She told herself not to look, yet found herself casually glancing over her shoulder. He sucked her in with his intense gaze; she was helpless to look away. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were burning with an almost pleading look. It was a look that shook Holly to her core. A look that begged for her to get up and walk his way. But she knew she couldn't do that unless he stopped lying to himself.

She stood up and wordlessly walked out of the Great Hall.

* * *

Holly had little time to even eat or sleep over the next two weeks, so she was quite irritated that her mind somehow found time to agonize over her last conversation with Snape. Per Dumbledore's request, Holly spent every Tuesday and Thursday evening with the D.A club in the Great Hall. She helped young kids, twelve and thirteen year olds, to produce Patronus charms. It gave her a minuscule amount of contentment to see their delighted faces when they managed to produce wisps of a Patronus. Out of all of those kids, only a handful managed to produce a full-fledged Patronus charm.

She ignored the irrational sense of dismay she felt every time she taught during D.A meetings. Thankfully, Hermione seemed to notice Holly's silent sorrow. She usually counted on Hermione to remain level-headed, but she had never counted on Hermione as much as she did when it came to the D.A meetings. It didn't help matters, but rather distracted Holly, that an actual professor was present at every meeting. Normally, it was Professor McGonagall. Except for the one evening that Snape was the one who strolled into the Great Hall.

All of the massive tables were enchanted and floating high above their heads. This left the Great Hall's floor free and spacious for maximum amounts of maneuvering. After only a few meetings, it became clear that Holly couldn't waste her time with the younger kids. There were too many older students who would likely participate in actual battles; those were the ones who needed Holly's help the most.

It wounded her heart to do so, but Holly immediately asked Hermione to find a solution to their D.A problems. It was soon figured that Ron, Neville, and Luna had to take the large group of younger kids further away from the older kids. The youngest ones focused on skills involving lower level Disarming and Defensive spells. Holly became anxious any time she saw how pitiful those nearly defenseless kids were, so she made sure not to look in their direction.

There was a fair few who were Holly's age. Most of them were Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, but she was stunned to find a small handful of Slytherins there as well. Nonetheless, Holly felt relief to see those green emblems. She focused on basic Disarming spells for only one meeting before moving on to Patronus charms. She knew they would likely be extremely important during any battle against Voldemort. After all, how many times had she been attacked by Dementors now? Dumbledore had told her once that Dementors were key allies to Voldemort.

It was during their seventh D.A meeting, a tiring Thursday night, when Snape waltzed into the Great Hall and completely threw Holly into an internally state of panic. The three boys in front of her were in their fourth year; two were Ravenclaws and one was a Hufflepuff. Her throat felt as dry as a desert as she tried to focus on their hand movements. She blinked rapidly and watched Snape lean against the wall directly to the left of the Great Hall doors.

She could hear Ron and Neville's voices echoing across the massive room as they offered awkward words of encouragement to the youngsters. Hermione was directly in the middle of the room with a group of ten students. She was speaking clearly and loudly in what Holly thought of as her teacher's voice. Holly had decided, since these three boys had now mastered the Patronus charm, she would begin with a bit heavier Defensive spells.

The night before, after a frustrating hour worth of homework, Holly had told both Ron and Hermione that she thought it would be best to start working on defensive spells. Hermione had suggested it would be practical for Holly to station herself and her group nearest to the entrance doors in preparation for an injury. This would give Holly quick access to an exit if she had to rush away with a kid who broke their arm. She was regretting choosing to be the closest to the grand doors now; it put her within hearing distance of Snape.

The Hufflepuff boy sighed and stated, "This spell is so weak."

"It's because you haven't had enough practice yet." Holly replied in a tired voice, "You have to keep practicing."

"Repetitive patterns." One of the Ravenclaws muttered as he continued to wave his wand and murmuring quietly to himself.

"Exactly right." Holly said, "You have to be repetitive. Practice until you're all but dreaming of this spell in your sleep. It's the only way."

The blonde Ravenclaw questioned, "Why is yours so strong? You said you only learned this spell last year."

Holly stared at the three boys before saying, "You have to feel it."

They shared looks of puzzlement before one repeated slowly, "…Feel it?"

Determined and frustrated, Holly nodded as her eyes quickly scanned the room. She could see Ron working with a freckle-faced girl who was likely a second year. Her shoes were untied and she regularly tripped over her own feet. Neville was helping two little boys with the standard Disarming spell, but the kids couldn't pronunciation correctly. Hermione was holding a girl's hand and slowly maneuvering her wand and showing her proper wand movements.

Holly's heart was pounding as she made up her mind. She stalked across the room with purpose now. She went straight for the up-raised stand where Dumbledore and the faculty normally sat. She ignored Hermione and Ron's curious questions as she passed them up. She climbed the steps with haste and gazed out at the Great Hall. She briefly wondered if this was how Dumbledore felt when the children's heavy eyes were upon him. If he did feel their heavy gazes, she wondered how he could stand to know that they all depended upon him with their lives.

"Listen up!" Her voice was as steady and as strong as a mountain, "I said _LISTEN UP!"_

Every movement ceased at the shattering sound of Holly's scream. She held her wand at her side in fisted fingers as she called out, "So many of you are failing to produce proper spells and charms because you don't have the urgency of _want_ behind it. This isn't some school project. This isn't for a damned gradebook. You aren't fighting for a spot on the bloody Quidditch team or casting a Leg-Locking curse on your friend for acting like a prat."

She slapped her fist against her chest and said, "You're fighting for your life. You're fighting for your younger siblings. For your friend. For your parents. You have to _want_ to live. You have to _want_ to save all that you care about."

She abruptly whirled around and yelled, _"Incendio!"_

A brilliant and blazing fire leapt up and around several target mannequins toward the right side of the room in less than a few seconds. The fire swallowed that piece of the room quicker than a blink of an eye and leapt forward like a fanged monster to devour more. Students stumbled back quickly and stunned expressions were casting glances from Holly to each other. She stepped down the stone stairs and shouted rapidly, _"Flipendo! Flipendo! Expulso!"_

Three flaming mannequins went soaring through the air at break-neck speed before they exploding into a raging fiery rainfall. She saw Snape jump forward and raise his wand as if he was about to protect the students from the debris fall, but Holly beat him to it.

She shouted once more, _"Impedimenta!"_

The little bits of smoldering debris slowed down abruptly before sinking to the floor in a gentle manner. The younger students tripped over one another to get out of her way as Holly came closer and softly said, _"Aguamenti…"_

She turned away from the older kids and looked to the younger ones. Hardly even of them would look her in the eye. They quaked before her. The little girl with the freckled-face stuttered, "Y-You could have hurt someone…"

Holly shook her head and said, "I wouldn't have. This was a lesson. You have to use your emotions to power your spells."

With that, she turned and made her way to the massive doors. She left her friends to deal with the numerous kids and Snape.

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 **AN:** _I would love to hear why you think Holly did what she just did. Also, I will probably update next Wednesday. Reviews are love:) Even short ones! Whichever Reviewer is the 60th will get a sneak peek for the next chapter before it is updated. Of course, the Reviewer must be one who is able to receive a Private Message. Everyone have a great week!:)_


	23. Chapter 23

**AN:** Thank you for all the R &Rs! I loved the Reviews. I apologize for the few day delay. I have been very busy with work, my house, and my family. Enjoy this chapter; I know I do…

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 _She turned away from the older kids and looked to the younger ones. Hardly even of them would look her in the eye. They quaked before her. The little girl with the freckled-face stuttered, "Y-You could have hurt someone…"_

 _Holly shook her head and said, "I wouldn't have. This was a lesson. You have to use your emotions to power your spells."_

With that, she turned and made her way to the massive doors. She left her friends to deal with the numerous kids and Snape. Her pace was brisk and she had climbed her way up several flights of stairs before his deep voice met her ears.  
"I'm unsure if you properly convinced the younger ones of your point."

She stopped at the top of the staircase and sighed heavily. She took a noticeable breath before whirling around. She said, "I'm not even startled when you pop up out of nowhere any longer. I guess that means I've become used to you, sir."

They looked at one another for a silent, yet intense moment. Snape finally said, "I understand what point you were trying to make, but your rash actions only proved to terrify the lot of them. During the next meeting, I suggest you motivate each individual by using personal examples."

Holly frowned and slowly asked, "What do you mean?"

Snape gave a quiet sigh and the bland expression on his long, pale face suggested that he was suffering. He asked, "Why do I bother trying to have intelligent conversation with you when you cannot understand the simplest of concepts?"

Holly felt sharp temper rise, but the emotion was only fueled by her immense pain and exhaustion of the last several days. She fired back, "Excuse me for asking for clarification. I guess idiots like me are too inferior to such brilliant minds like you, _Professor_ Snape."

He was almost impressed with the way she rolled his proper title off of her tongue like it was venom. If he hadn't have seen the sheen of tears in her beautiful green eyes, he likely would have continued arguing with her. Instead, all biting comebacks instantly died on his tongue. Severus felt a sharp tug inside of his chest as he watched Holly sneer at him. The expression, meant to be cold and mocking, only managed to look misplaced and pitiful on her soft, heart-shaped face.

"In your grand little speech, you used their family members as motivation to fight. You would do better to use specific names of siblings. Make up a harsh hypothetical tale of a known Death Eater attempting to torture a student's parent. You have to make them want to fight, Miss Potter."

He watched her expressive face as the sneer dropped and was replaced with a thoughtful, somewhat confused look. Seconds ticked by before Holly whispered, "Alright. I will try that. Thank you."

Neither of them bothered to move. Holly's bones ached with exhaustion, yet she stood as still as possible. She was thrilled that Snape had made no attempts to walk away. He only continued to stare at her with a profound and completely unreadable dark gaze. More often than not, Holly found herself craving Snape's presence like a mother craves to see her child. It wasn't completely logical, yet it was a deep tug inside of her chest that defied gravity. She could not ignore it any more than she could ignore the impending war between Light and Dark. Resigned to her precious time with him, Holly kept gazing into his eyes in a desperate, wistful hope that he would open his mouth and confess that he had been lying to her all those days ago in the dungeons.

For the briefest millisecond, Snape's dark eyes flickered lower and looked at her lips. She parted them, began to speak, but then there was a sudden grating sound that echoed around them both. The staircase ripped away from the stone walls and moved with the force of a canon. Unbalanced at the top of the stairs and completely unprepared for the enchanted staircase to move, Holly was thrown forward by the momentum. Her arms waved around in a frantic attempt to balance herself. She knew she looked stupid as she pitched forward and slapped her right hand toward the guardrail, but her hand only caught air.

She flung her palms just as her knee came in contact with the thick, solid stone. She let out a deep grunt of pain and squeezed her eyes shut tightly, hoping that she wouldn't break her nose or knock any of her teeth out when her face hit the stone. There was a deep curse and then arms slammed up and around her body in a most painful way. She knew it was him by the tone of his voice and the smell of ocean and forest that was surrounding her.

"Isn't it interesting," Snape spoke in a condescending tone, "how you can throw out such resilient defensive spells and manage to aid nearly hopeless children in battle, but a single enchanted staircase is beyond your limited capabilities?"

Holly rolled her eyes as her pounding heart began to slow. It seemed, as she glanced up and met his eyes, that Snape was unaware he was still holding her in his arms. Her voice was quiet and free of anger as she said, "You just complimented me. I think I will hold onto that and let the insult go."

Abruptly, he released her and straightened his signature black robes before saying, "Don't expect many compliments, Miss Potter. Even I can't perform such miracles for you."

"Oh," She replied breezily, "I think you could provide many miracles for me, sir. In fact, I'm sure of it."

He blinked and his expression was bland. Choosing to ignore her comment, Snape walked around her and came to the top of the staircase. There was a brown door, which Holly had never seen before. She followed Snape up the staircase and watched as he pulled the lock and opened it.

Behind the door was a dusty, old broom closet.

Snape was muttering hotly under his breath, but she was grinning widely by the time he whirled around. He demanded, "What are you grinning at, Potter?"  
"You just cursed, sir," Holly kept grinning as she followed Snape back down the staircase. She added, "It was quite creative."

"It takes very little to impress you, Miss Potter."

Holly didn't allow his sour response to upset her suddenly good mood. She watched as Snape came to an abruptly dead end on the opposite side of the staircase. He cursed loudly and said, "Of all the bloody times this could have happened…"

"It seems we're stuck here, sir." Holly smirked.

Snape whirled around and rolled his eyes, "Not likely, Miss Potter. The castle plays tricks. It has since even I was a boy in school. Give the staircase a few minutes more and it will change course once again."  
Holly leaned against the guardrail and said, "Thank you for saving me."

Snape's irritated expression disappeared and was replaced with his signature solemn look. His voice was forcibly polite as he said, "I couldn't have the Chosen One breaking her nose and teeth alone in my presence. Half the student body would be under the impression I attacked you."

Holly frowned and quietly said, "You would never hurt me, sir. You protect me whenever possible, which students would know if you allowed them to. Why can't you just accept that you help me without having a rude excuse for doing so?"

"Don't lecture me on accepting, Miss Potter." Snape snapped irritably, "Certainly not when you refuse to accept my answer in regards to your infatuation with me."

As soon as the spiteful words were out of his mouth, Severus regretted them. He wasn't regretting the fact that he was refusing her once more. No, Severus was regretting the fact that he had purposeful allowed himself to retaliate because Holly's words had stung him. He was irritated that she knew him well enough to realize he had saved her from falling simply because he didn't want her hurt. Not because he was worried about what those ignorant children would say.

Holly surprised them both when she didn't respond with anger. She didn't respond with tears or a shaky voice. She was calm and her brilliant eyes pierced straight through him as she asked, "What is so distasteful about me? What is so disgusting and wrong about me? I know I'm not overly attractive- "

"Miss Potter," Severus interrupted her sharply.

"No!" Holly shouted as she propelled herself off of the guardrail. She stepped forward and that flaming green fire he was so captivated by was burning in her eyes once more. Her voice was low and harsh as she said, "I lay awake at night and wonder what it is about me that you dislike so much. My face? My eyes? Hair? Personality? Then, I think back on all the times you have saved me. All the times you would react in a way that made me _so sure_ that you felt the same thing I feel…"

"I don't hate you, Miss Potter." Severus replied in the most appropriate voice he could, "You are annoying to the extreme and you are coddled by those close to you to the point that I find it repulsive. That doesn't mean I hate you."

Holly replied slowly, "I never asked you about hate. I asked you specifically what it is about me that you _don't like."_

He sighed hotly and snapped, "I don't owe explanations to a self-entitled child."

Holly's heart was pounding as she drew on her courage and asked, "Do you think I'm ugly, sir?"

"Why don't you go ask one of your numerous followers?" He snarled, "I have had enough of your interrogations and accusations."

"I don't care about anybody else's opinion but yours, Snape." Holly fought to keep her voice calm and her eyes focused on his. She said, "What _you_ think about me is what matters the most."

The staircase began to move once more. The abrupt jerking that had sent her tumbling last time was forceful, but she was anticipating the movement and quickly gripped the guardrail. She noticed the slightest measure of movement from Severus's left arm. As if he was a coiled snake, completely prepared to launch a strike and save her should she need it. She gave a dejected smile as the staircase settled down like an angry dragon who finally succumbed to the end of a fiery battle.

She spoke only after the deafening noise of stone rubbing against stone echoed to a standstill. "The truth is horribly unfair, isn't it, sir? Truth is never what your heart wants to hear."

She roamed her eyes across his ram-rod straight figure. His proud, yet not arrogant stance. His spotless black robes. His dark curtain of hair. Long, pale fingers and a magnificently angular face. Eyes the color of bittersweet mocha. She knew that if she was to press her nose against the side of his neck, he would smell so strongly of crisp, fresh forest and wild, salty ocean. It was, after all, a piece of cherished drunken memory that she dreamed of nightly.

"No," Severus's voice was uncharacteristically scratchy, "No, Miss Potter, the truth is a bitter thing. Life itself is unfair; there is little you or I could do to change the state of existence."

She shook her head with vehement, "I disagree. Life may be unfair, but there is plenty we can do to change it. We only have to try."

His expression remained bland, if not a bit uncomfortable. His dark gaze was just as intense and guarded as usual. It was his voice, so tender and unusual, that made her cling pitifully to hope. Severus said, "That's only foolish Gryffindor sentiment that is nice in theory, but doesn't work in practical terms."

She replied instantly, "How can you say that? You are the perfect example of fighting against all that is unfair in life, sir. You fight against the Dark, against prejudice, against Voldemort. You fight to protect Hogwarts and its students, which you supposedly despise. You risk your life to protect all the Muggles that you claim to feel indifferent toward. Death Eaters outnumber us and, as you say, the Chosen One is nothing more than a silly little girl. How are we supposed to win this impossible war when I'm our savior?"

She paused and then quietly said, "Yet you fight anyway."

They stared at one another in a silent battle of wills; Holly refused to look away. It was only after several minutes of silence that Holly whispered, "Maybe you're more like Gryffindors than you think."

His face morphed into that of great irritation as he hissed, "Would you just go to bed, Miss Potter? I grow weary of your endless talking."

She gave another sad smile and said, "You only say that because you know that, maybe just this once, I'm right. Goodnight, Snape. I hope you have wonderful dreams."

She had gotten halfway down the corridor when she heard his deep voice echo her way. "Stop addressing me without my proper title, Potter. Show respect."  
She turned around with a smirk on her lips. He stood several feet behind her, just about to turn down the staircase to make his way down to the dungeons. She called out, "I have more respect for you than you could ever know, Professor."

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 _ **AN:**_ _I do adore Severus and Holly's conversations. Feel free to let me know what you think. There are numerous hidden meanings in this chapter. Also, I will still give the_ _ **60**_ _ **th**_ _ **Reviewer**_ _a sneak peek of the upcoming chapter._ _ **The 65**_ _ **th**_ _ **Reviewer**_ _will also get a sneak peek. I absolutely promise to have the next chapter up by_ _Wednesday, July 6_ _th_ _._


	24. Chapter 24

**AN:** _Thank you for the Reviews:) Thanks to all my readers. Enjoy._

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Holly was looking forward to the weekend and only just managed to drag herself through Friday afternoon classes. After Care of Magical Creatures- Holly and her friends had written short essays on the proper way to handle a unicorn- and Charms- they had worked on wand movements for a powerful sleeping spell, Holly found herself in the cold dungeons. She and Hermione worked across the room from one another, but Holly didn't mind so much. She had spent the entire morning and most of lunch with Hermione and Ron in company. Occasionally, especially in times of dealing with Snape, she liked to be by herself.

Her mind kept wanting to split down numerous paths, but she forced herself to copy the notes that Snape was silently writing on the chalkboard at the back of the room. How much longer was Potions going to last? They had Quidditch training tonight and tomorrow morning; would Ron manage to properly block Katie Bell? Would Ron's new, and admittedly genius, defensive play work out well? Holly wondered if Jimmy Peakes had been practicing that new maneuver like she had asked him to. She also wondered at what point she would have time to work on her previously assigned Herbology essay. _Perhaps Sunday?_ Hell, Holly still didn't even know what to write about. She was definitely going to beg Hermione for help after the dinner feast.

"Miss Potter," Snape drawled in that dry, yet oddly appealing voice, "am I boring you today? Perhaps you have a better place to be than down here with me?"

"No, sir," Holly answered instantly and whole-heartedly, "Most definitely not."

He raised a dark eyebrow and leaned against the spacious table Holly had claimed as her own. He quietly questioned, "I dare ask why, then, you weren't paying attention as I explained the crucial ways to slice a duck heart?"

Holly bit her lip and felt her heart beat heavily as Snape's intense eyes flickered downward. She released her lip from her mouth slowly before saying, "I was admittedly distracted, sir, and I apologize."

He eyed her sharply before nodding and stepping away from her desk. He said, "Very well. Duck heart must be sliced between a forty to forty-five degree angle in order for the tissue not to dissolve completely into your potion solution. Write that down quickly, Miss Potter."

Holly scratched her quill across her booklet as swiftly as possible before looking up and intently focusing on Snape's figure. She noticed Hermione frowning from across the room, but she had no idea what Hermione could be frowning for. Was she confused over the directions? Surely not…even Holly understood the simple instructions. A moment passed and Holly continued copying notes. Eventually, as Snape dismissed them for the day, she noticed that Hermione was frowning at her once again. However, Holly looked up and tried to make contact with Hermione. The brown-haired girl gave an odd smile before she said, "I have loads of homework to do. I will be in the library. I'll see you at the feast later."

Holly worried about Hermione's strange behavior slightly, but she didn't have time to focus on her best friend's frowning glances and odd looks. Every day was busy with class time, D.A meetings, Duel Club meetings, Quidditch practice, and grueling homework. D.A meetings were more stressful as time went on. The younger kids tried to stay as far from Holly as possible. Every set of innocent eyes grew big and round with fear whenever she passed by. She was annoyed, and admittedly upset, that her plan had backfired. She had only wanted to show them that they could fight. That they could be strong enough to do what needed to be done in time of the war. Instead, she had only managed to freeze them with terror. The fact that the older kids were strengthen their skills and focusing on their talents was over-shadowed every time a twelve-year-old ducked his or her head to hide away from Holly.

If her failure as a defensive leader wasn't enough, Holly was greatly falling behind in her Transfiguration class. Hermione, who was taking to silently staring at Holly with a calculating look, was very busy and couldn't offer much assistance. Ron was perfectly content to barely pass all of his Transfiguration assignments and focus on honing his Quidditch skills instead. Unfortunately, Holly found that juggling so many projects was becoming a massive strain in her life.

Particularly, her main stress was her maddening and endless emotional attachment to her Potions Master. After their short time together on the staircase, Snape had begun to act pricklier than usual. Day after day passed and he continued to stare at her during Potions class, although he would look away the second Holly met his intense gaze. He would question on both Hermione and herself in great detail, but it seemed he always found a reason to criticize Holly's answer. She was lacking in detailed descriptions or provided entirely too much detail. She had completely gotten the answer wrong or she mixed up what order the instructions were to go in. The more Snape glared and offered sharp comments, the more Holly fumbled.

The only bright side Holly could see was that their first Quidditch match was the next morning. Each member of the team had been practicing hard when time was allotted, but none more than Ron. He was regularly seen reading Quidditch guidebooks at breakfast and polishing his broom late at night in the Gryffindor common-room. He was on the pitch, without fail, every Saturday morning. Often, he and Holly would stay out later than the rest of the team and spend more time than necessary practicing new maneuvers they had created.

It was on Halloween evening, a briskly cold Friday, that Holly had arranged a late evening training session on the pitch. Straight after another agonizing Potions lesson, she had raced to her dormitory and slipped into dark denim jeans and a bold red sweater with the fierce Gryffindor emblem across the chest. She had taken a minute to admire the new sweater that she and Ron had received as a celebratory gift from Mrs. Weasley. Now, as she came trailing behind her teammates, that lovely sweater was covered in mud. Ron laughed loudly at a playful comment made by Katie Bell before he turned and said, "Holiday, are you listening to the rubbish Katie is saying?"

Holly gave a quick grin and replied, "If it is about me, then I already know I'm a dirty, rotten Captain. Apparently, I never let any of you have a moment of rest."

Katie offered a big smile before saying, "You're a slave-driver."

Cormac McLaggen, one of their Beaters and a rather burly seventh year, threw his arms around Holly's neck and laughed, "Yes, but we will be wiping Slytherin off of the pitch tomorrow because of our lovely Captain."

"Yeah, we will!" Ginny whooped as they all strolled into the Great Hall.

They made their way toward their usual seats at the Gryffindor table as Cormac wiggled his eyebrows at Holly and asked, "Have you heard about the party tonight?"

Holly felt uncomfortable with Cormac's continuous physical affections, but she had noticed he was also just as touchy with Ginny and numerous other girls in their House. At first, she tried to discourage his behavior. Eventually, she realized it wasn't worth her effort. Cormac was overly friendly with everyone. He was arrogant and had a deep love for Quidditch that Holly equally shared. In the end, Holly rolled her eyes and allowed Cormac to sit next to her at the table. They all piled food high on their plates and began to eat. Holly asked, "What party are you talking about, Cormac?"

"Oh!" Katie squeaked excitedly, "Didn't I invite you all last week? I must have forgotten. A few of us seventh years decided we needed to have a little fun. You know, spice things up a bit and do something that all will remember us by."  
Cormac snorted and said, "More like to keep us all from dying of boredom."

Katie rolled her eyes and smiled at Hermione, Ron, Holly, and Ginny. She said, "We plan on going through the Forbidden Forest for a little spook. Cormac and Finnick Hardly went in a couple of nights ago and saw imps and Redcaps in a little meadow."

Cormac took a long drink of pumpkin juice before saying, "Those are some ugly little creatures, but it sure was fun blasting them around."

"Did you really?" Hermione spoke up with a tone of disapproval.

Ron rolled his blue eyes and replied, "Oh, don't go fussing everybody. 'Mione, can't you have a little fun?"  
Cormac gave an easy smile at both of them before replying, "You're welcome to come with us. You _will_ go, right, Holly?"  
"Um…well…" Holly blinked as she realized all eyes had turned to her.

"Of course, we will go!" Ron burst out with disbelief, "The only thing I have to look forward to in this castle is Quidditch. I need more fun."

Hermione huffed, "The Forest is forbidden for a reason, Ronald."

Ron rolled his eyes and retorted, "When will we ever get another chance like this?"

Katie casually added, "We will be heading to the Great Lake afterward. Cormac and Finnick thing it will be funny to see who can swim across first."  
Ron's eyes got very wide as he mumbled, "Um…swim across?"

Cormac laughed and leaned across the table to pat Ron's shoulder. Ron looked quite annoyed by this, but Cormac paid no mind to Ron's annoyance. He said, "Don't worry about the Lake. We don't expect everyone to swim."

"Swim?" Hermione questioned shrilly, "During winter? Are you mad?"  
"Maybe so," Cormac grinned, "But maybe Katie and I were wrong for thinking you sixth years could handle seventh year activities."

Holly was irritated by this and she opened her mouth before thinking heavily on the situation at hand. She replied shortly, "We will go, Cormac."  
Ron nodded vigorously and muttered, "Yes, we will."

Hermione sighed hotly before standing up and stalking away from them all.

Severus watched from across the Great Hall as Granger stomped away from her friends in a dramatic huff. It was Friday evening and, under other circumstances, he would be free to work diligently and privately in his lab for the weekend. Unfortunately, Albus had asked him to monitor the corridors tonight. Severus had immediately complained about the fact that it would likely be foolish Gryffindors running about after the Halloween Feast, but Albus had only smiled and additionally asked Severus to show up to the Quidditch match tomorrow afternoon. Severus quickly and sharply denied the older wizard's request. Of course, the old coot just managed to reword his request by bringing up Holly's welfare.

Albus had smiled softly as his blue eyes twinkled. He said, "Severus, who else can either of us trust to watch over Holly besides you? This Quidditch match leaves her in the open and vulnerable for attack. The wards hold fast, of course, but plenty of parents of students will be present. How are we to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Voldemort hasn't recruited someone to attempt harm the Chosen One?"

Severus knew that the idea of that happening was extremely unlikely. He had told Albus as much, but still found himself reluctantly agreeing to watch over Holly. As Severus kept his eyes trained on the back of Holly's dark head, he couldn't help but feel a bit of unease for the upcoming Quidditch game. It was Gryffindor versus Slytherin and he highly doubted any person associated with the Dark Lord would just waltz onto the Quidditch pitch and strike Holly with a killing curse.

But the mere thought of green light slamming into Holly's small body and knocking her from her broom was enough to cause Severus's hands to shake. His body felt full of acidic energy. It was a feeling that made him want to jump up, to race to Holly's side and pull her body close to his own. He wanted to brandish his wand and slash through any and all who dared try to hurt her. To hurt the girl with the emerald eyes. The little girl who was the reason for his misery and his purpose.

He watched her, watched _Holly,_ with her shiny ebony hair. It was odd that she always wore her hair with an elastic band and hardly ever allowed it to flow freely. On the rare occasion Severus had seen Holly's hair down, it swam like inky wisps of satin. His dark eyes narrowed when he watched a seventh year by the name of McLaggen. The boy was tall, muscular, and arrogant. McLaggen was the embodiment of all that Severus hated. Rude. Ignorant. Self-assured. Mediocre skills. Handsome. Charming.

As Severus slowly drank from his wine goblet, he watched the boy rub his shoulder against Holly's. His smile was wide and attractive. The boy had a headful of rich chocolate brown hair and a perfectly squared jaw. His classroom performance lacked substantially, but children gossiped nauseatingly, which led to Severus hearing, on more than one occasion, that McLaggen didn't lack in his performances _outside_ of the classroom. Disgusted by the mere thought of McLaggen seducing Holly, he pushed his plate away and glared blankly at the Gryffindor table. He felt the heavy gaze to his left and when he glanced that way, he was met with two twinkling blue eyes. He raised a dark eyebrow and quietly demanded, "What are you staring at, Albus?"  
The wizard smiled happily and questioned, "What has you in such a state, Severus? Don't tell me you're still upset because you must attend the Quidditch match tomorrow?"  
He scoffed, "Hardly."

"Does this have anything to do with Holly?" Albus questioned quietly, "You were glaring at her as if she had personally offended you."

"She _does_ offend me, Albus." Severus growled, "Have you not been paying attention for the last sixteen years? Her existence is bothersome."

The older man gave a firm look and said, "It is unfortunate that you would say so simply to hide the fact that you care. I can assure you, my boy, that you and I are the only ones aware that you actually care for the girl."

"I conceal bountifully within my profession," Severus snapped, "Some hidden notion of love for this hopeless child isn't one of them."

Albus raised his eyebrow and said, "My dear boy, I never spoke of love."

Severus mentally cursed himself for his slip of the tongue as he glared at the back of Holly Potter's head once more. There were several minutes were neither man spoke. The only sounds were the insistent humming of chattering children and a drunken Hagrid's booming laugh some four seats away. Severus felt Albus lean just a bit closer before he quietly said, "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Severus."

The dark-haired wizard frowned heavily at the Headmaster. Slowly, he stood and nodded curtly at his colleagues before walking out of the Great Hall with his black cape billowing behind him. When he cast a sharp glance in Holly's direction, he assured himself it had nothing to do with Cormac McLaggen sitting entirely too close to her.

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 **AN:** _Those of you wanting action will certainly get that within the next chapter...But, please, remember that this story is not always one of action, but one of real life. One of choices and love._ **65th Reviewer and 70th** _will get a sneak peek of further chapters._


	25. Chapter 25

**AN:** _Here is an action-packed chapter that is a bit longer than usual. Enjoy._

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After dinner and an exhaustingly long argument between Hermione and Ron, Holly retired to the Gryffindor bathrooms and took a hot shower. Holly was so tired that she doubted she would have much fun at the party in the Forbidden Forest. If she were to be honest with herself, she knew going into the Forest wasn't a good idea. Nonetheless, she had a difficult time coming up with a reason why they shouldn't go. Could they be caught by any number of professors? Yes. Could they lose House points and possibly receive detention? Sure. But it sounded entirely too fun to hunt imps and Redcaps while running through the Forest. If she didn't go, she would be the source of never-ending teasing. If she didn't go, Ron would never forgive her. If she didn't go, she would be stuck in her dormitory while doing homework.

That was how she found herself sitting in the common-room trying to convince Hermione to go to the Forest too. Holly sighed just as Hermione ended yet another rant about needlessly breaking school rules. She said, "Come on, Hermione. Ron really wants to go. Honestly, I think he has some sort of silent competition with Cormac. If you could see the way they fight and throw insults at each other during practice…"

Hermione huffed in annoyance, "A schoolboy argument is no reason for us to risk getting in trouble."

"Yes," Holly explained, "But Ron is already lacking in confidence about his first match. I know that you've noticed how nervous he has been. If this party helps ease his mind and give him a little fun, then why shouldn't we go with him?"

Hermione's brown eyes softened and Holly smirked. There was a moment of silence before Hermione nodded her head. She hesitantly replied, "We can go…"  
Hermione quickly added, "But we can't stray too deeply into the forest. Also, there is no way any of us are going swimming in that lake. I will drag you and Ronald back by your ears if either of you even think of jumping into the water."  
Holly laughed and said, "I hold you responsible for our actions."

Hermione stuck her nose up and asked, "Aren't I always?"

The two girls worked quietly on a Potions assignment for over an hour. It wasn't until Ron appeared from his dormitory and plopped down next to Holly that either girl stopped working. Holly groaned and slammed her textbook closed. She shoved it across the spacious table and stated, "I can't look at any formula for the rest of my life."

Ron nodded and said, "I told you that you were mad to take on Potions with that evil bat, Holly. Honestly, _both_ of you are bonkers."

Hermione looked up from her textbook and glanced at Holly. Neither girl spoke as Ron ranted, "That old bat made our lives miserable. I know you fancy being an Auror, but even I would give up my wildest dreams if it meant I could get out of seeing that greasy git."

Anger welled up and bubbled over as Holly spat, "He isn't a greasy git!"

Ron stopped speaking and his jaw hung open. His expression was one of confusion as he slowly asked, "Are we talking about the same Potions Professor, Holly? The same one who lives in darkness and preys on the innocent children of the castle?"

She opened her mouth to shout at him, but Hermione cleared her throat loudly and said, "Both of you should think before you speak."

Holly glanced at her friends; one looked confused and the other looked speculative. She sighed heavily and asked, "Isn't it late enough to meet Cormac and Katie yet? Let's just go."

Holly did her best to calm the irritation at Ron's words, but she found it extremely difficult to do so. She was surprised that her chest ached at the simple, yet hurtful words Ron had thrown about. He was her best friend and he hadn't been insulting her directly, but she still felt as if he had personally insulted _her._ Defending Snape was automatic and completely natural. Mentally, she admitted to herself that she was too harsh with Ron. After all, he had no idea how she felt about Professor Snape.

Holly kept herself under her Invisibility Cloak with her trusted Marauders' map while Ron and Hermione crept around each corner after Holly had given the go-ahead. This plan worked as they made their way to the ground floor of the castle. It took nearly half an hour before they managed to make their way onto the grounds. All three ducked behind a large boulder that was angled facing Hagrid's hut. Ron and Hermione were both panting breathless from their sprint. Holly pulled the cloak off of her head just as Hermione panted, "Give…me…that…cloak."

"Why?" Holly questioned.

"You and I will manage to huddle under it and go passed Hagrid's hut. From there, you can come back and give the cloak to Ron. Let him use it to get passed the hut."

Holly stared at Hermione and replied, "Well, what will I do once you and Ron are safely at the edge of the forest? I will be left out in the open."

Hermione replied in exasperation, "You will have to make a run from this rock to the edge of the forest. If you get caught by Hagrid, you could easily talk your way out of trouble. Just say you needed to speak with him immediately."  
Holly asked, "Why would I possibly need to sneak out here at half past ten o'clock to talk to him?"

Ron muttered, "Tell him you had a nightmare…"  
Holly snorted and replied, "This plan is just brilliant. Let's get this over with."

Despite the flimsy situation, all three managed to make it past Hagrid's silent hut without being seen by the half-giant. Ron wordlessly handed Holly the cloak, which she tied to the back of her robe. They met up with Cormac and Katie just a few dozen feet passed the edge of the forest. Katie wore a standard black robe, but underneath it she was wearing a red sweater and black pants. Cormac was also wearing a standard black robe, but had denim jeans and a thick blue sweater underneath.

When Cormac caught Holly eyeing his clothing, he sent her a quick grin. He asked, "Are you thinking about swimming later, Holly?"

She shook her head and awkwardly replied, "Not really. Sorry, Cormac."  
Hermione's arms were crossed over her chest and she had a guilty look on her face. She walked closely to Holly and kept watchful eyes on Ron. The tall redhead was occasionally answering Katie's questions, but he looked strangely annoyed for the most part. Holly felt the cross vibes coming from both her best friend, but the constant touching from Cormac wasn't helping the situation. Holly was starting to think that the party wasn't such a good idea.

She tried to discreetly move away from Cormac and managed to trip in the dark. Hermione tried to catch her, but Holly fell to her knees. She barely had time to grumble before two thick arms with strapping muscles wrapped around her waist. An overly spicy smell reached her nose. Cormac's deep voice teasingly said, "I know this face is dashing, but you should pay attention where you are walking next time."

"I doubt it was because of your spectacular face." Holly muttered as she struggled to her feet and brushed Cormac's big hands away from her waist. She wiped dirt from her knees and kept walking by Hermione's side. Ron dropped back and quietly asked, "Are you okay, Holiday?"

"Yes," Holly whispered, "I'm fine, Ron."  
"I could rough him up for you," Ron replied darkly, "Stupid git."

"I can handle it." Holly snorted, "I don't need help."  
Holly and Hermione both sighed with relief when Katie said, "We are nearly there."

"Yeah," Cormac laughed as they drew closer and stepped around a massive tree. It was gnarled and had boney fingers for branches. Hermione glanced at the tree and then jumped when the sounds of laughter and snarls met her ears. She asked, "Did either of you hear that?"

Ron nodded and shot a glance at Holly. She nodded too and all three of them pulled their wands out of their robes. Cormac was waving his own wand around as Katie laughed and took off through a thicket. Cormac grinned and gestured, "Come on, you three. The real fun is right over here."

Hermione gripped Ron's arm as he started to step forward. Playful laughter and muffled banging filled the air. Through the thick bushes, they could barely see a handful of students running about in a clearing. There were short grayish animals letting out hissing sounds as they jumped great lengths. Holly thought she caught the faint scent of smoke as well. Hermione urgently said, "Wait, Ron. We can still go back to the castle. Do you realize that this is cause for expulsion?"

"Hermione," Ron sighed, "You're being a bit over the top."

"I'm not!" She insisted as she shook her bushy brown hair about. "We are out after curfew. Not only are we outside of the castle, but we are in the Forbidden Forest. That's two rules broken. They are over there stupefying imps and Redcaps. Students using Defensive spells on living creatures without proper adult super vision? Another school rule broken."

Ron eyed Hermione before looking at Holly. Trying to arrange her face into a blank expression, Holly gripped her wand and shrugged. Moments more passed and all three of them could hear Cormac's booming laugh. _"Stupefy! Stupefy!_ Take that you stupid imp!"

Hermione said, "Cormac and Katie aren't even being subtle while they break all of these rules."

"Yeah," Holly added irritably, "We will be lucky if we aren't caught now. Can they scream and laugh any louder?"

Ron sighed heavily and said, "Alright. Let's get back to the castle."

All three turned to leave. Holly wouldn't say so out loud, but she was relieved that Ron was willing to head back out of the forest. She was so tired and the thrill of the adventure was gone now. Cormac had certainly ruined any enthusiasm Holly had. They had only made it halfway out of the darkened forest when they heard a shrieking scream. Holly instantly froze. Her blood was icy and her heart began to pump harder and harder.

She knew that sound anywhere. It was the sound of terror. After the scream pierced the night sky a second time, Holly turned and darted back into the forest. She went deeper and deeper. She tripped, stumbled, and tumbled her way toward her fellow Gryffindors. She heard Ron half-whispering and half-yelling for Holly to slow down, but she only continued darting between branches and roots. She heard Hermione fall and Holly's stride faltered. She nearly turned back to aid her friend, but ultimately picked up her pace. As she came closer to the meadow, the smell of smoke became more pronounced. There was a deafening silence, which made Holly slow as she gripped her wand in her fist and ducked through the thick bushes.

When she entered the side of the meadow she whispered, "Oh, shit…"

She stayed frozen and watched as Katie and Cormac stayed in a defiant position diagonally across from Holly. There were five other Gryffindors surrounding Katie and Cormac. And standing directly between Holly and the older Gryffindors was a massive creature unlike any she had ever seen.

It had the body of a lion with a dark sandy red pelt. Its body was magnificently strong and roped with infinite muscles. The creature had a distorted head with a mouthful of teeth. Its claws were razor sharp and the length of standard dinner knives. Its dark tail was wickedly sharp and resembled that of a scorpion. A thick, shiny substance was dripping steadily from the tip of its sharp tail. It was quite preoccupied as it stalked slowly, so slowly, toward the other students.

Hermione and Ron came barreling through the meadow and slammed into Holly's back. Breathless, she stumbled forward and was swiftly yanked back to her feet by Hermione. She heard Ron whimper almost silently as Hermione whispered, "That's a Manticore. Its tail shoots poisoned quills and its mouth has jagged teeth."

"How do we kill it?" Holly asked in a hard voice.

"I'm not sure." Hermione faltered for a single second before suggesting, "We can all Stun it at once. If that fails, I think our next best bet would be fire spells."

Holly asked, "Do you think the Stunning will be powerful enough if we all three do it together?"

"It's possible." Hermione replied hesitantly.

Holly nodded and took a deep breath. She said, "Get yourselves ready."

Ron cursed shakily and then began to curse much louder when the Manticore roared and launched itself at the other students. Holly screamed, "Now!"

The three burst forward and slashed their wands like deadly swords. They each shouted, _"STUPEFY!"_ Holly had barely taken a breath before she continued shouting, _"Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!"_

The Manticore stumbled and whirled around, shooting blackish-green needles from its towering tail. It opened its mouth with an ear-splitting roar and showed a mouthful of sickeningly sharp teeth. The beast faltered as it attempted to charge at the trio. Hermione shouted, _"Confringo!"  
_ Holly and Ron followed her lead as all three once again began to shout spells in combination. It took only another set of casting before the Manticore let out pitiful mewling sounds that echoed like that of a dying demon. Bright and brilliant orange flames greedily ate away at the Manticore's body. The creature crashed to the forest floor with a thundering sound and then all was deadly silent. The magical flames dissipated after a prolonged moment and then Katie came forward. She had a big grin on her face as she exclaimed, "That was wicked!"

Several others gave relieved chuckles as they chimed in.

"That was kind of interesting."

"Who knew you three were that good?"

"Well, we should have expected Holly to take care of the danger."

"What do we do now?"

Cormac shrugged and said, "I guess you three did pretty well."

Hermione gulped and turned to face Ron and Holly. She whispered, "We should leave soon. All of that noise was sure to attract- "

"MCGONAGALL!" A blonde girl shouted, "Spread out!"

"Oh, bloody hell." Ron grumbled as he grabbed each girl's hand and took off at a dead run. Hermione and Holly did their best to keep up as they ran in the opposite direction of all the other students. She could hear the terrifying sound of an outraged McGonagall. They let the shadows swallow them up as they made a dash for the edge of the forest. Ron panted, "We…need…to get…under…the cloak."

There were muffled voices coming from somewhere in front of them. It was too dark to see properly, so Hermione yanked on Ron's arm with all her might. She whispered frantically, "Wait! Get down!"

Both of them tripped and slid their way down a small embankment and slipped beneath the gnarled roots of a ginormous tree. Holly came sliding in behind them. On her way down the muddy drop, she caught her shoulder on the splintered edge of a root. Gasping, she held onto her injured arm and fell ungracefully into her friends' laps. They were frantically trying to rip the Invisibility Cloak away from Holly's robes when Holly heard a distinctly deep and quiet voice. She knew that voice; it was the one in all of her favorite dreams. Hermione got the cloak around the three of them. She hissed, "Curl your legs together, Ron."

Holly was laying atop her friend while Ron wrapped his long legs as closely together as possible. Hermione's head was tucked against the back of Ron's neck and Holly had her body in the shape of a ball. They were barely breathing as they watched through the sheer fabric of the cloak. Dumbledore and Snape appeared just at the edge of the embankment. Snape looked menacing and cantankerous as his black gaze swept over the darkened forest floor. Holly was positive that his eyes lingered near their hidden spot for a long moment before Dumbledore spoke.

"It seems the rest of them were prosperous enough to escape us, Severus."

Snape snarled, "These idiotic Gryffindors really have no idea how lucky they are."

Dumbledore chuckled and laid a hand on the dark-haired man's shoulder. He replied, "I'm sure they are perfectly aware of how lucky they are."

Professor McGonagall came forward with four sullen Gryffindors trailing after her. She stopped as she came to stand beside the two wizards. She asked, "Did you manage to find anyone else, Albus? Severus?"  
"Obviously not, Minerva." Snape retorted. He turned toward the students and Holly felt great sympathy for them as Snape hissed, "I do believe these four should join me for detention for the next two months."  
McGonagall firmly replied, "Two weeks' worth of detentions with Professor Snape will do. Every Saturday, you will report to my office and also participate in detentions with me. As I have already said, that will be fifteen points from Gryffindor…for each of you."

Ron groaned quietly and Hermione elbowed him painfully. Holly bit her lip as Snape slowly turned around and stared with his penetrating gaze. Dumbledore and McGonagall continued ranting at the students, but Holly was now certain that Snape had caught them. He didn't turn away or hardly blink as he kept staring in their direction.

Dumbledore placed a hand on Snape's shoulder again and said, "Let us retire to the castle and assure ourselves that those lucky Gryffindors managed to tuck it in for the night."

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 **AN:** _Please, let me know what you think. Chapter 26 will be updated by the middle of this next week. 75th and 80th Reviewer will get a brief sneak peek of the upcoming chapter. For those who don't win, here is your own sneak peek: there is more action to come. Can anybody say Quidditch?:) Thank you for reading. Reviews are love._


	26. Chapter 26

**AN:** I apologize for the three-day delay. I was sick, it was my brother's birthday party, and I am still dealing with my house. Enjoy the chapter!

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 _Dumbledore placed a hand on Snape's shoulder again and said, "Let us retire to the castle and assure ourselves that those lucky Gryffindors managed to tuck it in for the night."_

Holly mentally counted to ten after the teachers walked away. It was only after she counted that she threw the cloak off. Rolling her body, she plopped into the mud and leaves while Ron stretched his long legs. He whispered, "Can you believe? Fifteen points from each of them. That's sixty points gone."

"We don't have time for that, Ron." Hermione whispered stressfully, "Didn't you hear Professor Dumbledore? They are going to check on all of us. Likely, McGonagall will go to the girls' dormitory and Professor Dumbledore will go to the boys'. Come _on."_

All three scrambled up the embankment and raced through the forest. Holly managed to fall to her knees twice, but she only jumped to her feet and hobbled her way out of the forest. All three successfully hid behind Hagrid's hut as they watched Dumbledore stop to speak to a half-asleep Hagrid, who was clutching his pink umbrella in his hand. Holly had always held a suspicion that the umbrella was really Hagrid's wand, which the Ministry of Magic thought was broken and trashed.

"It is quite alright, Hagrid." Dumbledore said, "There were a few students who thought it would be fun to mingle with a Manticore. I assure you, the situation is handled now. Isn't that right, Severus?"

The dark wizard was standing by Dumbledore's side, but was no longer paying attention to the conversation at hand. Instead, he had been pointedly glaring at a large boulder several yards in front of the hut. The boulder in which Holly and her friends were cowering behind. When addressed, Snape turned back to Dumbledore and dryly said, "I think I will take my leave now, Headmaster."

"Of course, Severus, of course." Both wizards began walking up the swirling stone path with the castle looming above them.

Ron whispered, "Do you think McGonagall has realized we aren't there?"

"Honestly," Holly replied, "I doubt we will get away with this."

"Yes," Hermione spoke in a sad tone, "Four seventh years were caught. I'm sure they will tell Professor McGonagall that we killed the Manticore."

With a sigh, the trio crossed the remaining distance as quickly and as silently as possible. They used the same design as before- Holly leading the group with the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders' map- while Ron and Hermione hide nearby until Holly deemed the corridor cleared. By the time they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, they were all full of anxiety.

Holly asked, "What if McGonagall or Dumbledore is in there?"

"I'll go in first." Hermione pushed forward, "If either are in there, I can claim to have an upset stomach. For all they know, I've been in the lavatory all night."

"What do _we_ do?" Ron asked in a panicked voice.

Hermione pointed a few feet to the right and said, "You need to hide behind that statue, Ron. It isn't the best idea, but it will do. Holly, hide underneath the cloak."

Holly and Ron did as they were told. Hermione gave the password and entered the common-room. The portrait slammed back into place and all was silence once more. Ron whispered, "How do we get into situations like this, Holiday?"

Holly muttered, "Normally, you or I have a stupid idea. Our idea usually leads to Hermione coming up with a brilliant plan and saving us all."

Several minutes passed before the portrait swung open and Hermione stuck her bushy brown head out and hissed, "Get in here quickly!"

Ron and Holly rushed forward and tumbled into the common-room. It was empty at such a late hour. Ron demanded, "Did Cormac get caught?"

"No," Hermione shook her head, "I went up to the girls' dormitory and spoke with Katie. She says she and Cormac managed to hide in a tree until McGonagall passed by."

Ron looked disappointed by this news. A moment passed before Hermione said, "I think I'm going to bed. Goodnight to you both."

Holly offered her a night's worth of sweet dreams before Hermione climbed the staircase and disappeared. Ron yawned hugely and said, "I guess it's time to call it a night, huh?"

Holly shrugged and wordlessly went up the staircase. Ron gave one final wave from across the room before disappeared behind a solid door that led to the boys' dormitory. She dressed in her pajamas quietly and fell into bed with exhaustion.

* * *

Holly woke only a few hours later by Ron rapping loudly on the door. Blinking heavily, Holly glanced around and discovered the dormitory to be empty. Ron pounded on the door twice more before throwing it open and saying, "Get up now! The match starts in thirty minutes, Holly!"

She blinked once more and took in the burgundy Quidditch robes wrapped around Ron's tall frame. She gasped and bolted straight out of bed. She scrambled to find her Quidditch robes, which were tucked safely inside the pocket of her trunk. It was only as she was pulling on her favored dark pants that she saw Ron's face blazing scarlet in embarrassment. She wore a thin, strapless shirt and underwear- her usual bedtime pajamas. She felt her own cheeks heat up, but she had no time for embarrassment at her blunder. She said, "Grab me a cup of Pumpkin Juice, won't you, Ron?"  
"Uh," Ron mumbled, "Sure, Holly. I'll see you in the Great Hall in a minute."

Holly slipped into a plain t-shirt before buttoning her Quidditch robes. She strapped on her lightweight gear and hastily combed her fingers through her hair before pulling it back with an elastic band. She hopped around on one foot while putting on her muddy black tennis shoes. Holly allowed a single moment to stare at herself in the mirror. She didn't care about the mess of curly black hair or the lightening scar on her forehead. She didn't really care about her pretty emerald eyes or her too-slim figure. She only saw the brilliant burgundy robes clinging to her body. With a quick grin, Holly grabbed her Firebolt from underneath her bed and slipped her wand inside of a hidden pocket of her robes. She dashed out of the dormitory and through the Common Room. She ran down the corridors and waved as several people shouted out joyously at her.

"Good luck with the match!"

"Knock Slytherin on their asses, Holly!"

"Yeah, do your thing, Holly!"

"Gryffindor will win for sure!"

Holly felt her spirits soaring higher as she came to a skidding halt at Gryffindor table. The Great Hall was usually packed, but the majority of students were heading out of the doors. Many more offered her good-natured compliments as she dropped breathlessly beside Hermione, Ron, and Neville. She said, "Good morning, you all."

Neville replied with a crooked smile, "I heard of the excitement the three of you had last night."

Holly nodded and grabbed the large cup of juice Ron wordlessly passed her. She took a big, satisfying gulp before saying, "It was quite a night."

Hermione snorted and hauntingly replied, "We won't make it through the day without detention."  
"Why are you being so negative, Mione?" Ron asked.

Hermione gestured discreetly to the teachers' table and hissed, "I heard from Hannah Abbot that Pansy and Malfoy were talking about the Manticore. Apparently, Katie's friend Susie told Professor McGonagall about the entire thing."

"Who is Susie?" Holly wondered as she stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth.

Hermione rolled her eyes and answered, "One of the seventh years caught last night."

Ron shrugged and stated, "Detention won't be so bad."

"Ronald," Hermione replied in annoyance, "We have N.E. to prepare for on top of leading D.A meetings and Duel Meetings. Holly and I also have a Potions Project coming up soon _and_ the both of you have Quidditch practices."

Ron shrugged again and replied, "So what if we are a little busy?"

Holly stood up abruptly and pulled on Ron's arm. She quickly said, "Let's go. We need to warm up a bit and the game will be starting soon."  
Ron stood up and began to follow Holly. She gave a wave and said, "See you and Neville after the game, Hermione."

Hermione sighed and gave a tired smile before saying, "Have a good game. Both of you be careful."

Ron and Holly walked side by side with their shoulders brushing. Holly glanced at her best friend and quietly questioned, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ron shrugged and said, "No problem."

"It's okay if you're nervous." Holly said casually, "I'm nervous too."

"Why?" He asked quickly, "Do you think we will lose?"

Holly laughed and said, "No way. We will crush Slytherin."

"Oh." Ron nodded and added, "Yeah. We'll win. Easy."

"You are a great Keeper, Ron." Holly said as they came closer to the pitch.

"Thanks, Holiday." He replied as they entered the small tent designed as a room for the Gryffindor team. As soon as they entered, they found the rest of the team sitting on wooden benches. Ginny offered a quick grin as she asked, "You ready to smash some snakes, Captain?"

Holly raised an eyebrow and said, "I don't want to smash them. I want them destroyed. Who's with me?"

Cormac and Katie cheered loudly while Ginny laughed.

Holly clapped her hands together and said, "We have practiced hard and we have too much talent to let Slytherin whip us. Our Chasers are the fastest, our Beaters are strongest, and our Keeper is a genius when it comes to strategy. I want to allow us to get a solid start on points before I go for the Snitch. If I see Slytherin gaining, though, I'll swoop in and grab that Snitch before Malfoy knows what's happening."

Holly felt the slightest tremble in her fingertips as adrenaline began to pump through her. She could hear the wave of blusterous noise coming from the stands. She nodded and her team stood. They followed closely behind her as they exited the tent. Her green eyes swept over the massively towering stands; people jumped and cheered and screeched. Slytherins offered rude gestures and threw out food when they thought teachers weren't paying attention. Holly grinned and offered a nod when she caught sight of Hermione and Neville loyally waving Gryffindor flags high in the air. Hermione let out a particularly loud screech and Holly rolled her eyes happily.

She and the rest of the Gryffindor team came to a standstill on their side of the field. A few yards away, closer to the middle of the pitch, stood the Slytherin team in all their green glory. Malfoy offered a haunting sneer that would have weakened the knees of a lesser person than Holly. She gave a sharp smirk in his direction before throwing her leg over her Firebolt. She felt it trembling underneath her with its eagerness, but she held it steady and called out, "Mount your brooms!"

She felt more than heard or saw her teammates gearing up from behind her. They all formed a V formation, which she knew caused murmurs of confusion to rise up around the stadium stands. This was, after all, a strategic idea of Ron's. Madam Hooch was talking loudly using an amplifying charm, "All of the players need to get ready!"

"On my mark!" She cried, "I want a clean match. Ready, set, GO!"

Holly held up her left arm high up in the air with her five fingers spread out. The Slytherins instantly burst into the air as Hooch released the balls. Holly screeched, "NOW!"

Her Beaters and Chasers took off at incredible speeds and she was filled with golden satisfaction at the speed of Jimmy and Thomas; all of those maneuvering and agility lessons had paid off for them both. She watched with the eyes of an eagle as her team went about their specific jobs, but she never once moved from the ground some hundred feet below the game. Ron was high in the air, defending his position with avenges. She rose up in the air slowly and lazily, as if she hadn't a care in the world to bother her. She pretended as if she didn't see Slytherin's Beaters, Crabbe and Goyle, hitting the Bludgers toward her with all of their might. She dodged the first with an expert backward flip that had the crowd cheering and booing in booming voices.

She could hear the angry screeching as Ginny came flying forward and busted shoulders with a Slytherin Chaser. Ginny held tightly to the ball with her right hand while ramming her shoulder against the Chaser a second time. Holly yelled out, "Tuck it in, Ginny!"  
The redhead abruptly dropped about five feet lower and did a quick tailspin before zooming off toward her respective ring. The commentary, played by a rather enthusiastic Gryffindor two years younger than Holly, was cheering and praising Ginny's quick thinking. Holly grinned wickedly as Ginny threw the ball with the skills and speed of a professional player. The Slytherin Keeper didn't have time to blink before the bell sounded and a girlish voice exclaimed, "TEN POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Severus tried to remain oblivious to the fact that his House was losing by thirty points as he watched Holly Potter soar across the pitch as if she were an amazing bird of prey. He reluctantly had to admit that she was talented. He wasn't sure of her strategy; she was simply floating around the pitch and dodging cruel hits. He didn't see the Snitch anywhere, but he was no fool and he knew Holly was completely prepared for her victory. Malfoy was grinning wildly and darting across the field; he would cheer and whoop in a most undignified manner every time one of his teammates managed a particularly heavy hit to the Gryffindors.

"It seems that our lions are organized now more than ever," Albus commented conversationally, "Do you see how the Beaters stay together and work in union?"

"Yes," Minerva answered in a barely conserved tone, "Peakes and Dean only separate when Crabbe or Goyle get too close to one of the Gryffindor Chasers or Holly herself."

"Two times the power." Albus replied thoughtfully, "Simple and effective."

"I wonder yet what Potter is doing…" Minerva stated.

"Oh, I'm certain Holly has a plan. Talent for the sport runs in her veins too strongly not for her to successfully complete her plan, don't you think, Severus?"

Severus met the twinkling gaze of two cerulean eyes before dryly saying, "I'm sure Miss Potter will have no trouble showing off as all Potter blood is bound to do."

Albus chuckled, but the sound was drowned out by an amplified shout, "ANOTHER TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR! THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL BLOCK BY RON AND A SOLID SCORE BY GINNY!"

Severus swept his sharp gaze across the pitch before he lingered on the still figure of Holly several dozens of yards away from the teachers' stand. It was difficult for him to make out her facial expressions, but he could tell by the position of her body that her attention was focused. She sat ramrod straight on her Firebolt with her knees locked tightly against the broom. Her hands were fisted on the handle and her head was held high with her chin sticking up. Her full lips were set in a determined and firm line. Severus followed her hot gaze and found that she was glaring at Draco.

The boy reminded him much of Lucius in that moment; he was too proud for his own good. His bright, blonde hair was slicked back and his angular face was one of absolute superiority. He grinned viciously and dramatically shot down toward the grass. All around, in both the student and teacher section, people gasped and stood up to get a better look as the two Seekers spiked toward the ground. Severus stood up slowly and frowned as Potter and Malfoy nose-dived like speeding bullets from a gun. He was shocked and disgusted when he felt his heart speed up in abrupt anxiety.

Minerva's voice was thin as she stated, "They will crash, Albus."

Severus watched as Albus discreetly pulled his wand from the purple sleeve of his robes and held it in front of him. It was lowered, but poised to jump forward with only a second of notice. Severus stared as the two Seekers came within ten feet of reaching the ground before Malfoy hastily pulled back. The result was rather sloppy and humorous to watch as the Slytherin darted sideways to avoid a fatal crash. He couldn't hear her, but he saw Holly's face shining with amusement as she laughed and darted upward in a clean swooping motion. She watched as Malfoy angrily gestured and yelled. Holly spoke back, but the amusement never left her face.

"She tricked him." Minerva stated in an approving voice.

Severus sighed lowly as Albus laughed and said, "Excellently done."

"He dove first," Minerva said, "I wonder what made him assume the Snitch was down below."

"Her body positioning." Severus answered in a monotone voice, "She was relaxed and watching her teammates until she suddenly became tensed and transfixed on a particular area. She deceived him and brought him to a dive in the general direction that she was looking."

The game continued for several minutes before Slytherin managed to score. He could tell that Mr. Weasley was irritated with himself for missing the Quaffle, yet he properly blocked the next three throws before Slytherin scored once more. "SIXTY TO THIRTY WITH GRYFFINDOR AHEAD! OH, A NASTY HIT BY CRABBE FOLLOWED BY A CATCH FROM KATIE! SHE SHOOTS; SHE SCORES! SEVENTY FOR GRYFFINDOR!"

There was a sudden yell of worry from the Gryffindor stand followed by screams of, "GO, POTTER!"

Severus stood up once again, but this time it was quicker than either Albus or Minerva. His long lingers curled around the edge of the wall in front of him as his tension mounted. Malfoy and Potter were closing in distance, both diving toward the ground once more. He caught a glint of tiny fluttering wings about fifteen feet below the Seekers and knew that the game was about to end. He sighed hotly and muttered, "You're too close, Potter. Pull back. Damnit, pull back."  
She did not hear nor listen to him, which he thought was rather typical of the child. His heart skipped a beat and he lost all breath as the two collided with a thundering clap. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized Minerva had let out a sharp cry from behind him. He was already pulling out his wand as he realized Albus was doing the same. He sucked in a deep breath and boomed, _"TARDA CADENT!"_

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 _ **AN:** Sorry for the abrupt cut off, but this was already 3,100 words and I usually make shorter chapter. Can you guess what my lovely Severus will do?:) I have a person picked for a sneak peak and will be distributing another sneak peek to the **80th Reviewer**. For all to know: Next chapter will be...big;) I will update before Friday as a treat and an apology for being late on this chapter._


	27. Chapter 27

**AN:** Thank you all for reading and reviewing:) Enjoy this chapter...

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 _She did not hear nor listen to him, which he thought was rather typical of the child. His heart skipped a beat and he lost all breath as the two collided with a thundering clap. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized Minerva had let out a sharp cry from behind him. He was already pulling out his wand as he realized Albus was doing the same. He sucked in a deep breath and boomed, "TARDA CADENT!"_

Albus's powerful voice was right behind Severus as he called out, _"Arresto Momentum!"_

Severus's hand was steady as he kept eye-contact with Potter and slowly lowered her toward the ground. She was clinging to her broom with a grin on her face. One hand was gripping the golden snitch while the other was hanging uselessly limp at her side. She was slipping from her broom and he worried that perhaps the impact ripped her shoulder out of socket. He spared Malfoy only a glance, but it was clear he was worse off. He was knocked unconscious and had long since let go of his broom, which lay broken some forty feet away.

Albus was directly behind him as they both briskly walked onto the pitch with their wands raised and trained on each student. Albus quietly said, "You would do well to check Mr. Malfoy while I aid our Holly."

Severus snarled without words as he gently loosened his hold on his spell. Holly dropped to the ground, but landed solidly on her feet. She gripped her Firebolt between her legs and held the snitch up high. Several people cheered as Severus went straight to Malfoy. Madam Hooch reached him just moments before Severus. She sighed and stated, "He has a broken wrist and, it looks like, three broken fingers."

Severus sighed hotly and said, "I would be surprised if the boy doesn't have a concussion as well."

"With the force of that hit," Madam Hooch glanced behind them and said, "I bet both of them have a concussion."

Severus conjured up a stretcher and wordlessly levitated Malfoy onto the object. He groaned lowly before leaning over and abruptly vomiting entirely too closely to Severus's shoes. He snarled, "Watch your aim, boy."

He watched the sea of red flags roam about as foolish Gryffindors boasted, cheered, and crowded around Holly. For a moment, he lost sight of her in the sea of people. His heart thudded painfully and he was just about to elbow his way through them all to reach her when Albus suddenly let out a jarringly loud, "SILENCE!"

All movement and voice ceased to exist in a single second. Albus called out, "I know you are all quite excited with such a wonderful game, but I must ask you all to return to your common rooms and await for Holly and Draco. They must be healed for injuries first and foremost."

Severus waited as the children made their way off of the pitch before Albus came to his side. Minerva was leading the children away and he felt satisfaction as he heard her call out, "Stop meddling and move along."

Albus was leading a limping Holly by her good arm. Severus noticed she was still clutching the snitch in her sweaty palm. She had a grin on her full lips as she asked, "Malfoy isn't too banged up, is he?"  
"He will live." Severus replied tersely, "Though, I must demand that you refrain from attempting to kill one of my students next time."

"I wasn't trying to kill anybody," Holly replied, "I would also like to point out that I'm one of your students too."

Severus raised an eyebrow as he flicked his wand and moved Malfoy's stretcher into the castle. He, Albus, and Holly continued on their way. Albus said, "I must say that you did wonderfully at a phony dive."

"Thanks, Professor." Holly offered a lopsided grin. She spoke happily with Albus about the game and if she didn't look so relaxed and animated, then Severus would have made a biting comment about her reckless behavior on the pitch.

As they came to the hospital wing, Severus slowly levitated Malfoy onto a crisp white bed. Madam Pomfrey came bustling in with a look of worry. She said, "I apologize for running behind. I had to heal a nasty cut Ginny Weasley had."

Holly's grin fell abruptly. She asked, "Is Ginny alright?"

Madam Pomfrey waved her hand and stated, "Sit down, child. I need to examine you after I revive Mr. Malfoy."

Severus quickly intervened, "That isn't necessary, Poppy. I will handle Miss Potter's injuries. Make sure Draco is properly tended to."

Madam Pomfrey looked as if she was quite offended, but Albus stepped in and said, "Not to worry, dear Poppy. Severus and I will ensure Miss Potter is in perfect health. Come, Severus. Come, Holly."

Holly blinked heavily as she followed the two men out of the hospital wing. Her head was aching and her shoulder felt as if it was dumped into icy cold water. Dumbledore spoke in a conversationally tone with Severus as all three of them walked toward the dungeons.

"You must be careful, Severus."

Holly strained to hear their whispered conversation as Severus snapped, "Poppy is dealing with several broken bones and a concussion right now. I doubt she could handle properly healing both students."

"That is quite unfair to act as if Poppy isn't highly capable." Dumbledore spoke, "She has cared for our injured students for years."

"Surely, she is capable." Severus snapped, "Nonetheless, I have more confidence in my own abilities."

"Yes, I do believe our Holly deserves the best possible treatment." Dumbledore answered offhandedly, "You are a man of rather wonderful talents."

Holly suddenly stopped walking as she put her hands to her head. She must have made some sort of noise because Dumbledore and Severus turned around quickly. She blinked again, but her vision remained blurry. All sound was distorted as she mumbled, "…can't see…"

Severus cursed quietly as he lunged forward and caught the girl before she could smash against the cold, hard stone floor. Albus asked, "Is it a concussion, Severus?"

He nodded and pulled Holly into his arms. He carried her horizontally with her head limping hanging over the crook of his right arm. Albus followed briskly and was murmuring healing charms as they bounded down the last set of stairs. Without a word or a single wave of his hand, Severus threw the doors to his private office open. He gently set her on the small sofa in the left corner of the room before kneeling beside her. He ran his wand over her body as he silently assessed the state of her injuries.

"Continue with the healing charm, Albus." Severus ordered in a tight voice before flicking his wand. A second passed before a stream of colorful potion vials flew from his cabinet and landed in his hands.

Albus murmured as he kneeled on the opposite side of Severus. Minutes passed while both men worked. Severus tried to ignore the heavy stare from Albus as he scooped his palm underneath Holly's head and softly lifted her into a slanted position. He said, "You need to drink this, Miss Potter."

The girl did not respond. Severus gave a long-suffering sigh before slipping the tiny vial through her lax lips and whispering, "You must drink."

Feeling extremely uncomfortable, he laid her head back down and used one hand to pour the potion into her mouth while the other stroked her throat. After a long moment, he felt her muscles moving as she slowly gulped. His chest tightened and then abruptly loosened with relief as she let out a quiet cough and groan.

"Your potion is already easing her pain, Severus." Albus observed with a peculiar tone.

Severus ran his wand in a languid motion around the side of Holly's temple before murmuring a repeated phrase. Albus watched with intent interest as Severus continued his foreign chant. There were no physical signs that he was healing the child by magical means, but her body began to move restlessly and her eyes slowly blinked open. With a small smile, Albus stood and walked to the door. He said, "Contact me if you have need, Severus. I believe I will check on young Draco."

Severus nodded wordlessly as he watched those emerald eyes blink heavily. He moved discreetly, so there would be respectable distance between them as Holly coughed and mumbled, "Wha…What happened?"

"You fainted." Severus replied firmly, "Do you feel nausea now?"

Holly slowly shook her head and instantly regretted the decision as the room spun about. She groaned and snapped her eyes shut. He sighed and stated, "Do not move. I want you to wait until the vertigo passes. Then, you will sit up and drink this potion. Slowly, I might add."

He stood and watched her still form long enough to make sure the foolish girl was listening to his instructions before crossing the room and rummaging through his personal potion collection. He pulled out a sky-blue vial and a clear vial before going back to the sofa. He watched in silence as she gingerly sat up. Her eyes were still shut.

He knelt beside her once more and quietly said, "I have a concoction that will take the vertigo away." He reached forward and gingerly grabbed her wrist. He gradually folded the glass vial into her grip and stated, "Drink as slowly as you can."

He felt a curious warming sensation deep within his chest as he watched her. Holly was a small thing and had a head full of untamable black curls. Her face was paler than usual and her beautiful face was scrunched up as she kept her eyes firmly shut. Her full lips were trembling as she put the vial to her mouth. He didn't speak until several minutes later, after she had finished the potion and opened her eyes.

The deep pools of stunning green that he had adored for nearly the entirety of his life were still clouded with pain. And it caused a protective rage to fill up inside of his heart. His voice was terse as he suggested, "Why don't I take a look at the wound on your shoulder?"

She blinked and muttered, "…I'm fine."

He pressed his lips together and stated, "You cannot get better unless I fix all of the injuries. Surely you can understand such a simple idea?"

She gave a tired smile that caused his heart to thump painfully. She mumbled, "You don't have to help me."

"It isn't a matter of what you think I should do, Miss Potter." He growled, "Take off the outer piece of your robes, so I may see the extent of the injury."

Holly moved sluggishly and he only watched her struggle for a moment before sitting beside her and carefully peeling away the sleeves of her burgundy robes. What he saw had him feverishly wanting to go back to the hospital wing and hex Malfoy to the brink of death. The flesh on her shoulder was laid open and it had been bleeding steadily for some time. Only now was the blood beginning to thicken and slow. As he studied the gash, he was unsure on how such a collision with brooms could have caused such a tragic wound. It was too large in width to be caused by a broom and a thick, ugly scab was already forming. A cut of this size couldn't have formulated a bloody scab in just over twenty minutes since the match.

He asked, "Did you receive this wound during the match?"

The girl blinked and her facial expression was one of pain. She muttered, "Yes."

Severus looked closer and noticed a thin sliver of some dark substance digging into the side of the gash. With nimble fingers, he picked the shard out of the skin and held it up. The truth forced its way into his mind and had him dryly saying, "This is a splinter of tree bark inside of your wound, Miss Potter."

Holly stuttered, "Um…I'm sure it's from the game. Where else could this cut come from, sir?"

Anger contorted his face into a terrible sneer as he said, "Do you expect me to believe that this wound, which is obviously not fresh and is riddled with tree bark, is from the collision from a Quidditch match? Don't treat me as if I'm daft."

She blinked in surprise and replied, "I don't think you're daft at all, sir."

Severus tried to ignore the note of genuine surprise in her tone and snapped, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Miss Potter."

She eyed him for a moment before muttering, "I cut it on a tree branch last night. Um, we were…in the forest."

He scoffed and asked, "Do you have any idea how stupid you are? You should have gone straight to the hospital wing. You might not be so lucky next time; your arm might rot off before it is properly taken care of."

"I would have gotten everybody in trouble!" She burst out loudly. Heat flooded her pale cheeks and her eyes blazed brightly. Severus felt like he was witnessing a flash bomb as she raged on, "I was busy trying to keep a Manticore from eating my friends and trying my hardest to get us safely inside the common room."

"That's exactly your problem." He dryly replied as he gently pushed her back down to keep her from leaving the room. "You act on impulse and feed yourself on emotions only. Logic would have told you to tend to your wound."

She huffed, "Not everyone can be as brilliant as you, sir."

He snapped, "Be quiet and allow me to fix this mess of a shoulder."

Long moments passed and tension only seemed to mount higher and higher. Severus leaned closely to her collarbone and gingerly dabbed a clear solution along the ragged gash. He picked minuscule pieces of wood out of the wound and felt sick inside every time her body flinched with pain. The gash was oozing blood as he agitated the skin. After pouring and wiping away another dose of cleansing solution, Severus moved on to the opposite side of the gash. He could feel the steady trembling of her body, feel the heat of her, feel the softness of her skin. Her wide eyes met his and there was a pleasurable moment of clarity in which he knew exactly what he wanted. Swallowing heavily, Severus tore his eyes from her own and brought his focus back to patching up the wound.

He flicked his wand in a complicated pattern and murmured an incantation Holly had never heard before. She watched with earnest as he began to hypnotically wave his wand just a centimeter above the skin of her shoulder. She couldn't tell what he was saying, but she could hear the timber of his deep voice. The sound soothed her being to the point that she felt her entire body release its tense position.

Severus leaned a bit closer, but still maintained a solid four inches between his body and hers. He continued to chant, but he was irritated to admit the close proximity of Holly Potter was distracting him. He picked up the tempo of the chant with vigor and was relieved when her soft, smooth skin began to knit itself back together with lightening quick snapping sensations. She jolted dramatically and he was just about to offer a heated comment when he noticed the glistening liquid at the corner of her eyes. He felt a stab directly to his heart.

"I'm sorry for the pain," Severus murmured. He reached out and brushed her messy hair away from her face. She was so strong in the face of darkness and agony, yet maintained a sense of kindness. Just like her mother. His mind was screaming at him in protest, but he couldn't find a way to stop himself as he ran his hand through Holly's inky hair once more.

It was as soft as silk. Just as he had imagined it would be.

"You have a shallow scrape right above your eyebrow." He sighed, but the sound wasn't angry at all. "Let me heal it for you."

He leaned forward and instantly knew it was a mistake.

They were too close. Face to face and all he could see were stunning colors that blinded all sense of reason. Emerald for eyes and the softest pink flower petals for lips. Flawless porcelain for skin and raven feathers for hair. He cleansed the dirt away from the scrape with tender fingertips and frowned in concertation. He opened his mouth and almost silently began to chant. Only a second passed before he heard Holly's slight intake of breath. A quiet sound that somehow caused him to tense up as if he was expecting a death blow. He had no time to move before she leaned forward that scant inch and pressed her lips to his own.

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AN: As always, I will hand out a sneak peek to the **85th Reviewer.** Please know that I will update soon, but I usually maintain more motivation when receiving Reviews. Essentially, Reviews are love and motivate any writer into writing much faster. :)


	28. Chapter 28

**AN: I apologize for the huge delay. The site is acting oddly. For those attempting to upload chapters, go through a free proxy first. ENJOY.**

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 _He had no time to move before she leaned forward that scant inch and pressed her lips to his own._ Hours later, when he had time to drown in his infuriating self-hate, he would drive himself mad in attempts to figure out why he didn't step away as soon as she touched him. So slowly, and sweetly enough that he felt it within his soul, she gave him a chaste kiss. Innocent and captivating beyond his most desperate imagination. Her lips were soft and delicate and had a subtle taste he couldn't identify.

His body was instantly frozen and burning at the same time. They were so close that their shaky breath mingled together. He felt warm, as if he was cocooned in the softest blanket and lounging in front of a beautiful fire. His heart, so pitifully broken, hammered like a drowning man desperate for breath. His mind, forever swirling with the chaotic shambles of life and war, was mercifully blank for the first time in his entire thirty-seven years of existence. He felt those soft lips touch his once more and he was gently pulled away from all he had ever known.

For the first time, he didn't fight.

His body was awakened and his mind was blissfully quiet in a way he didn't think was possible. He reached out and wrapped his hands around her elbows to pull her forward. His breathing was harsh, but so was hers. Severus was drunk on the feel of her. Drunk on the reaction she caused inside of him. His eyes slid shut as he pressed his lips to hers. He heard her make a quiet noise similar to a gasp, yet somehow so much more intoxicating. Hands shaking, he held her close and tilted his head right before sliding his top lip against the full pouty shape of her bottom lip.

The sensation was phenomenal. Indescribable. His body was overwrought with a white-hot energy as he let out a shaky breath. His lips moved in such foreign ways, but it was natural. Easy. Beautiful. Insane. Unbelievable. His heart was hammering so loudly in his ears that he later wondered how he didn't die of a heart attack. His hands gripped her forearms, but the hold was tender. He kept his chest pressed sensationally against hers. He felt an unknown emotion filling every ounce of his being, slipping into every crevice and taking ahold of him with fiery hands of passion. He nipped Holly's bottom lip with his teeth and released a low, throaty growl as Holly's small hands tunneled through his hair and tugged. He wasn't sure how they managed it, but soon he was hovering over here as they laid flat on the leather sofa. He propped his upper body up on his elbows, but allowed their legs to tangle.

Lips battled and glided heatedly while hands tethered themselves to the other's body in an attempt to never become separated. Holly let out a sobbing moan as Severus nibbled he bottom lip once more. She wrapped one arm around the back of his neck and held tightly. The other hand was gripping the front of his black robes as she ripped her lips from his and sucked in large gulps of oxygen. Pressing her lips to his neck, she fluttered open-mouthed kisses from his jawline to the base of his throat.

It was then that his senses began to purge the smell and taste of Holly. Thoughts began to kill his mind and bring him back to his cursed reality. It was a slow, but steady stream of horrified awakenings. His breath was puffing out rashly and the pleasure of her soft lips against his neck was drowned out by the absolute damnation running thickly through his mind. His hands abruptly released her and his body stiffened. He felt her lips stop moving, but she did not pull away from him.

 _What have you done?_ He demanded, _what in the hell have you done to her?_

He slowly and gently pulled her fist away from his chest and then slung himself across the room. He paced like an enraged lion who was hell-bent on escaping its death trap. Emotions that he had not felt in over sixteen years were crashing through his body and threatening to eat him alive. His heart was thumping without restraints as if it wished to jump out of his chest and join itself with the woman-child trembling on his sofa.

He whirled around and glared at her with fiery eyes of a predator. A noticeable tremor was taking over her whole body as she fisted her hands at her sides. Her silky hair, so indescribably wonderful within his grasp, was tumbling about in an attractive mess. Her lips were subtly red and darker than usual because of _him._

Cursing quietly under his breath, he whirled away from those wide, bejeweled eyes and ran shaky hands through his stringy hair. _What in the name of Merlin had he done? Had he not committed enough crimes against humanity? Had he not endured and inflicted enough pain to last a million life times?_ A large part of him, the piece of himself he arguably hated the most, insisted that this was the girl's fault. She had kissed him first. She had started all of this. She was the sole reason he, a man whose life depends upon discipline, was nearly choking on lethal emotions. _Hadn't he been absolutely clear with the stubborn, foolish girl? Hadn't he pushed her away and properly remained his distance? Didn't she comprehend the lengths he went through to keep her alive and whole? Why did she insist on selfishly ruining the last shred of sanity he had left?_

"Get out." He hissed.

He watched in morbid fascination as hurt flashed like lightening behind those green eyes. There was an endearing frown on her face, as if she was trying desperately to understand him. He sneered, "Get out of here before I hex you all the way to Dumbledore's office."

There was both satisfaction and sickening dread inside of Severus when the girl, usually so bold and self-assured, was timid and terrified. Holly's voice cracked in odd places as she spoke. "I don't want to leave when you're angry like this."

Severus took a steadying breath and viciously rebuilt his mental shields once more. Idly, he thought he was losing sanity and likely losing his most formidable magical abilities in the process. He couldn't understand how else his mental shields had weakened because of her. A teenage girl with mostly average abilities and hardly more than mediocre mind magic skills. Considerably calmer now that his emotions were firmly placed behind his shields, he spoke.

"You have crossed one line too many, Miss Potter. We won't speak of this incident." He stopped talking as his dark eyes racked over her lips. There was a considerable beat of silence as he wrestled with a treacherous snare of desire. Still, he soaked up the image of Holly's swollen lips, glistening from his kiss.

He felt calm and numb as he said, "I'm sure even your impenetrable brain can understand that no one is to know what you have done."

"What I have done?" She demanded. Her voice was stronger now and her brilliant eyes were smoldering with the beginning of a fire. Yet the fire died away and she gave a sad smile before saying, "We both did this."

Severus spoke as if he hadn't heard a word from Holly's mouth. His voice was nearly emotionless, which felt like a sharp knife to Holly's chest. "You very well know that you overstepped, Miss Potter. Now, gather yourself and leave my office."

The girl stood still and aimed a particularly stubborn expression in his direction, but he didn't fail to see how she still trembled. She said, "I care about you, sir."

She stated this firmly and slowly as if she was speaking to an unruly child. He found her tone of voice quite ironic considering _he_ was the one always dealing with her stubborn, unruly, and quite emotional self. She sniffled loudly before saying, "I care about you and I want you to stop acting like you don't care about me. I know you actually do."

His whole body felt like he had been dumped into a frozen lake as he quietly demanded, "Leave my office now."

She spent an eternity staring at him before saying, "I will leave because I don't like to see you so uncomfortable, but I'm not going to _leave you._ You might as well quit asking me to give up because I won't."

"You know nothing. You are a child." He answered in an empty voice.

"I know what being alone feels like." She replied sadly, "I may not be the smartest student at this school, but I know what pain is. It's the worst thing imaginable, to be alone and in pain. You feel helpless and hopeless. I want you to know that I'm here whether you want me or not. I'm willing to help you if you only let me."

The silence pressed on both of their chests until neither of them felt as if they would be able to take another breath. Both wordlessly battled until Holly carefully walked out of his office and tried desperately not to let hot tears fall from her eyes.

Severus dropped onto his desk chair. With an absent flick of his wand, he slammed the door closed and heavily warded it with protective locking charms. He wouldn't underestimate that infuriating brat to try barging into his domain again. For the next hour, Severus went through rapid and dizzy amounts of thoughts. He had hoped, perhaps stupidly, that she had some meaningless physical attraction to him. He tried to reassure himself that now she had kissed him, her curiosity would be quenched. She would now stop her inappropriate behavior.

This caused him to snort in an undignified manner as he rubbed at his temples. The chances of Miss Potter doing anything to ease his burdens were slim. She was too stubborn and arrogant and downright selfish to see the bigger picture. There were endless reasons _why_ her romantic advances were wrong. The least of all being the fact that he was her teacher. Her instructor. He had a moral obligation to not physically mingle with children. _But this situation isn't normal,_ a small part of him insisted pitifully, _this isn't about perverted sexual desires._ The irritation and worry he had successfully battled against was rearing its head once more.

He sighed hotly and leaned back in his chair, trying to find a more comfortable position. He felt sweaty and unbearably thirsty as his thoughts raged on. _How could the girl show such weakness by throwing her emotions out into the open?_ He knew she wasn't the most intelligent student, not by a long shot, but she usually carried a sense of basic understandings. It wasn't that she was stupid; she held an average intellect. Yes, Severus grudgingly admitted to himself that Holly Potter was a brilliant child. But she was brilliant because of her dueling skills and Quidditch skills. Because of her charismatic and kind personality. Because of her dead parents. Because of her impossible legacy.

He supposed her blatantly reckless and blind path that she followed was true Gryffindor nature. She was a girl filled with overpowering emotions and she lived by them. Allowed them to dictate her actions and thoughts. _Didn't she know that allowing one's feelings to control is dangerous? What else could he do to ensure she halted all emotional reaction toward him?_ He thought, for the briefest moments, about asking Dumbledore for aid in this sticky situation. Instantly, he cast the idea aside. Dumbledore would react calmly, as he usually does in most situations, but what little respect Severus had earned from the brilliant man would be surely lost. Severus reluctantly decided he didn't want to deal with the idea of losing his odd relationship with Albus Dumbledore.

Throughout the darkness and cruelty of his life, Albus remained the only person to truly know Severus's true character, both good and bad. He cringed when imaging the older wizard's disgust if he found out Severus, a teacher nearing his forties, had kissed a sixteen-year-old student. And not any student, but the precious Chosen One. And not just a benign kiss, but a mind-numbing and passionate lip-lock that shook Severus's world and threatened to destroy all of his beliefs.

He cursed and the nearest vile of elixir exploded into a thousand pieces. _Why did she have to have Lily's eyes?_ The same emerald pools that he had drowned in the very first time he had ever seen them, at the age of nine. Lily. His kind and accepting Lily. So beautiful that his chest hurt every time he had looked at her. _What would she think if she could see him now?_ An image of those brilliant eyes lit with fury and disgust was enough to make Severus choke on a sob. The glass vials on a narrow shelf behind his desk cracked and splintered before raining down around him in a shower of sharp drops.

His black eyes were dry, but glittering with repressed emotions as he stood up and paced the length of his office. His sole purpose in life was to bring an end to the Dark Lord and keep Holly Potter safe at all costs. It mattered not that Miss Potter harbored childish attraction, idealistic views, or grand gestures of love for him. He was her teacher and, above all else in his life, he was her protector. He would teach and protect. Logical and straightforward. He would no longer remain tender of her feelings and put up with her attempts at conversations.

He was appalled and furious with himself as he realized he had been slacking at his duties. Severus's entire purpose was to keep Holly alive and safe, yet he had somehow put coddling her above her safety. He wouldn't cover for her and her ridiculous friends anymore. No more overlooking her curious stares during Potions class or giving her sleeping draughts simply because he disliked seeing her so strained. No more saving her precious dignity, especially not if he found her in the forest again. He would have to maintain a grueling watch on her and ensure that she no longer participated in stupid stunts that could harm her. Unfortunately for him, this meant overseeing all D.A. meetings. Even more unfortunate, this meant he would have to watch over her during Quidditch practices, not just official games.

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 **AN: I would greatly, greatly appreciate Reviews for this one. Rest assured, I will update within a day or two as long as the site does not go down once again. Also, to those who I previously mentioned will still be receiving a Sneak Peek.**


	29. Chapter 29

**AN:** _I will post every Wednesday from now on until further notice. I am quite busy with renovating my house and starting a new semester at school. Thank you to every reader and reviewer._

 **AN Warning:** _I did not think this story needed 'M' rating, but apparently I was mistaken. Here is a warning for future situations in which some people may consider to be deserving of an 'M' rating._

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Holly was certain that she had pushed Severus past his breaking point. He ignored her in class and silently refused to meet her eyes any of the thousands of times she had tried. He showed up to every D.A. meeting, yet stood in the shadows and stared at Hermione, Ron, Luna, or Neville instead of _her._ She was so distracted by her thoughts of their unbelievable kiss throughout the next week that she failed a Transfigurations test and received detention with McGonagall because of her poor results. She worried sickeningly about losing what little respect she had managed to squeeze out of Severus, which caused her stomach to churn uneasily. She tossed and turned in bed before scrambling for the bathroom. She vomited and refused to eat dinner for the rest of the week because of that.

After several nights of nightmarish dreams of Severus, she attempted to talk to him. Advanced Potions class ended and Hermione hastily exited the room when Holly hesitantly began to walk to Severus's desk. He was writing quickly and violently on a student's essay and did not look up to meet her eyes. She had only made it halfway across the room when he snapped, "I have no need to speak with you. Leave my classroom."

Holly let out an audible sigh right before Severus demanded, _"Now."_

It was Friday evening and the end to another depressing day. Holly had barely coped through her detention lesson with McGonagall. The woman was usually a favorite instructor of hers, but Holly couldn't concentrate on anyone else but Severus. She spent her nights crying onto her pillow and being ripped from nightmarish dreams by her own sobs.

She picked fitfully at her plate of chicken breasts and steamed veggies. Beside her, Hermione was giving sympathetic glances. The girl was so in sync with Holly's moods that Holly darkly wondered if Hermione was aware of her _feelings_ regarding their teacher. Before she could think further about just how much her inquisitive friend knew, Professor McGonagall strode down the aisle toward their table. Her lips were pressed into a thin line and her hair was in a slick, tightly bound bun. On top of her head she wore a tasteful, pointy black hat with a brilliant red feather for decoration. All of this was usual for their Head of House.

She offered a nod as Hermione greeted, "Good evening, Professor."

"Hello, Professor." Ron said as he took a sip of juice.

Holly dully said, "Hello, Professor."

McGonagall raised a sharp highbrow and said, "The Headmaster requests a meeting with you, Miss Potter. He expects you after dinner."

Holly blinked in surprise and muttered, "Uh, yes mam."

Once their Head of House walked away, all three friends leaned closely together. Ron asked eagerly, "What do you think Dumbledore wants?"

Hermione replied instantly, "Whatever it is, I'm sure it has to do with the reason of his absence."

All three teenagers glanced at the noticeably empty Headmaster's chair. The emptiness of that chair reminded Holly too much of Umbridge's reign of terror the year before. She bit her bottom lip and asked, "Do you think he is in trouble?"

Ron snorted, "Holiday, how could Dumbledore possibly be in trouble?"

Hermione slapped his arm and huffed, "No person is invincible, Ron. To answer your question, Holly, don't you think the teachers would run to his aid if Dumbledore really was in trouble?"

Holly bit her lip harder and shrugged, "I guess so."

"You know how closely the Order members keep to Dumbledore." Hermione replied, "Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall would go to him should he need help."

"Snape?" Ron muttered, "He would save his own hide first. Selfish fellow."

Holly grunted, "Shut up, Ron."

Ron rolled his eyes and asked, "Why are you so moody and defensive?"

She huffed in annoyance, "I get tired of you constantly picking at Sever…Uh, Snape."

Ron's eyebrows rose, but he seemed too irritated to notice Holly's slip up. He demanded, "I don't _constantly_ pick on that git."

"Stop calling him a git!" Holly huffed lowly.

Ron leaned closer and retorted, "He is a git and _you_ have lost your marbles if you think any differently. Do you not remember all the times he has given us detention? Or purposely flunked us on assignments?"

"I haven't lost my marbles." Holly rolled her eyes and shoved her plate of food away. She stated firmly, "Besides, we usually deserved detentions and failing grades."

"Do you hear her?" Ron demanded as he whirled around to look at Hermione's perfectly blank face. His eyes were wide as he repeated, "Do you hear her? I think she's sick. She _must_ be sick."

Hermione seemed queasy and hesitant as she suggested, "Can't you two agree to disagree about Professor Snape?"

Holly felt the sting of disappointment as she retorted, "No. Professor Snape is a wonderful teacher. I made top marks on my Potions OWL because of him."

Hermione gasped quietly and nudged Ron's arm, but he was too distracted by Holly's ranting to notice. Holly spoke on without being aware of the teacher strolling closer to their table.

"If we wouldn't have been so immature and easily distracted in class, you and I both would have had passing grades, Ron. Professor Snape is _brilliant._ We were the ones too stupid to listen to him."

Hermione frantically tried to catch their attention as she cleared her throat loudly. She nudged Ron in the shoulder, but he brushed her hand away and faced Holly with blue eyes full of anger. He asked, "What in the bloody hell has gotten into you, Holly? There were plenty of times that greasy bat gave us detention for no reason at all and you know that. Merlin, Holly. What has he done to, huh? Did he slip you some kind of potion while you were doing Occlumency lessons?"

Holly snorted and replied, "Don't be stupid. Of course, he didn't. He isn't like that at all, Ron. That's what I have been trying to tell you. Snape, I mean, Professor Snape is stern. Sometimes, he's rude, I know, but that's his way of pushing a person to do better with a subject."

Ron pointed his finger at Holly and huffed, "You are insane. That man ridicules Neville on a daily basis and has since we were eleven years old. There's no need for him to do that no matter what you say. Snape is a mean git just because he likes being in charge. He likes bossing people around."

Holly shook her head. She couldn't formulate the feeling in her gut into words. She knew Severus was cruel. She knew Severus was often harsh for seemingly no reason. Yet she knew he would selflessly lay down his life for her. She knew he had risked his life to save _all_ of them during their third year in school.

She sighed hotly and said, "He isn't that simple to define, Ron. Snape isn't always cruel. He's saved your life before or do you not remember? He's saved my life more times than I'm probably aware of. He's loyal to Dumbledore. He risks his life to destroy Voldemort just like the rest of the Order does."

Hermione squeaked loudly, " _Please,_ stop arguing."

"No way." Ron spat, "We have to knock sense into her. Hermione, help me."

Holly saw red as she retorted, "You try to knock sense into me, Weasley, and I'll kick you into next week. You're being a close-minded idiot. Snape is _not a git."_

"As much as I adore the Chosen One coming to my defense," A deep voice drawled from the right side of the table, "I must insist that you both shut your mouths."

Holly and Ron both jumped while Hermione groaned and banged her head onto the table. She lay still and shut her eyes in hopes that Professor Snape would have mercy on her two foolhardy friends.

Ron stood still with a blush coating his cheeks. He blinked owlishly at Severus as if trying to figure out how he had appeared. Holly felt a warm blush creeping its way up her neck as she mumbled, "Sorry, sir."

His dark eyes linger just a fraction of a second too long on her face. Holly felt her stomach flutter pleasurably. He raised a brow and drawled, "Weasley, a week of detention for disrespect to a superior. Potter, a night of detention for causing a disruption in the Hall. Both will start at ten O'clock tonight. My classroom."

He whirled around and exited the Great Hall without another word. Holly glared at Ron before turning and darting away from the table. She could hear Ron exclaim, "Why didn't you warn us, 'Mione?"

She barreled out of the Great Hall and down the corridor leading directly toward the right. She caught sight of Severus's dark silhouette just as he made his descent down the last staircase on the right, which lead to the dungeons. She put on a burst of speed and reached the bottom of the staircase just as Severus was opening his classroom door. She was panting hard as she came skidding to a halt.

Severus turned around and growled, "Are you deaf, Potter? I said ten O'clock."

"Heard you." She sucked in a large gulp of air, "Sir...I have to meet with the Headmaster tonight."

If Severus was surprised by this information, he didn't show it. He sneered, "Is it time for the Chosen One to have midnight tea with the Headmaster and discuss battle strategy?"

Holly grinned and replied, "You know, I have imagined that's how a meeting between _you_ and the Headmaster would go. Not me."

Severus waved a hand and spoke in a clipped tone, "Fine. Tomorrow night."

Holly nodded and tried to walk away, but her feet wouldn't let her move. She bit her lower lip and shifted her weight from foot to foot. Severus narrowed his eyes and demanded, "Go back to your dormitory, Miss Potter."

Her hands were shaking, but she took a deep breath and blurted, "I'm sorry. I swear that I didn't mean to kiss you. I can't explain it and I know your angry and I don't want you to be upset with me. I didn't mean to push you, but I'm still glad I did it. I've dreamt of kissing you a million times, but-"

Severus's voice was stiff as he said, " _Enough_ , Miss Potter."

"No!" She retorted with surprising strength, "I will finish what I've come to say. I need you to know that what happened…caused feelings inside of me that I have never felt before. Whatever this is, it is in here."

She thumped her fist on her chest and stared at him fiercely. She thought of every dream, every touch, every tear and every word spoken before saying, "You consume me. That scares me."

His voice was smooth as he replied, "Goodnight, Miss Potter."

He shut the door in her face, but not before she noticed the rigid line of his spine and the way his fingers held the doorjamb so hard that his knuckles looked as if they were about to split through his skin. He felt what she felt. The signs were subtle, nearly hidden most of the time, but Holly thought she was beginning to know Severus Snape very well.

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 **AN:** _I love reviews. Thank you._


	30. Chapter 30

**AN:** _Thank you all for the kind Reviews, but know that my replies might be sporadic. I am still updating fairly regularly, but a new term has started and I am quite busy with that and other situations. This chapter is so important to the overall plot. **Enjoy!**_

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Later that evening, after an angry and obvious cold shoulder display from Ron, Holly found herself standing in front of the twin doors leading into the Headmaster's office. She was just about to knock when the doors sprung open. Holly blinked at the tall and warmly familiar figure standing behind a grand mahogany desk. Dumbledore offered a soft smile and gestured with his hands. "Come in, Holly, come in."  
Dumbledore seemed calm as usual. He was wearing dark blue robes with shiny little stars all over the fabric. His half-moon spectacles were perched on the end of his crooked nose and his blue eyes twinkled as if he knew boundless amounts of mischievous secrets. Holly was willing to bet the entirety of her parents' Gringott's fortune on the thought that Dumbledore likely knew more secrets than she would ever know.

Holly walked toward the desk and delicately sat on the edge of a cushy red chair. Dumbledore sat behind his desk and held out a hand, which was holding a tiny yellow-wrapped candy. He asked, "Would you like a lemon drop?"

She shook her head and said, "No, sir, but thank you."

He spoke in a conversationally tone, "I was informed that I have taken you away from your detention with Professor Snape tonight, Holly. It seems you have a curious knack for catching his attention and his wrath."

Holly nodded, but thought it best to stay quiet. There was a pause before he asked, "Are two at odds with one another again? I was under the delightful impression that you both have come to an understanding since this past summer."

She answered slowly, "Professor Snape and I do have an…understanding."

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Yet it seems you find your way to his dungeon for detention at least three times a month."

Holly mumbled, "Um, I still tend to annoy him."

The smile on the old wizard's face grew brighter as he merrily replied, "Between the two of us, Holly, I do find it amusing to rile Severus up upon occasion. I have not called you here to chastise you. In fact, I trust you are smart and can see what others cannot."

He did not elaborate on his strange confession. Instead, he popped a lemon drop into his mouth and stated, "I'm sure you are wondering why I have called you here. It has taken me the better part of a year, but I have finally confirmed old theories I formulated long ago. I have wracked my brain to find and lock all the puzzle pieces together. What I have found to be true is very disturbing."

He locked his hands together and leaned forward until his elbows were touching the surface of the desk. His tone was quiet and somber as he asked, "Can I trust you to obey me, Holly? I must swear you to secrecy. You cannot tell your friends. You cannot tell those close to you. Not even Order members you have relationships with."

Holly's heart was pounding in her chest. _What could he possibly know that was so vitally important? Why would this secret need to stay a secret from their own allies?_

She stared deeply into his cerulean eyes. She felt a blanket of comfort wash over her as she glanced at his crooked nose. She thought of the Battle at the Ministry last school year. How potent Dumbledore's magic was. How extraordinary he was with his quirky disposition, kind personality, and infinite wisdom. _Where would she be without Albus Dumbledore?_ Without his protection for the last five years, she would have surely died. Without his compassionate words in her blackest of times, she would have drowned in sorrow. He was, in the strangest and most unexplainable way, her devoted mentor.

He taught her vital lessons. He had taught her how to channel grief. He had made her appreciate her own bravery and unique birthright. Out of all the people she cared for, Dumbledore had been the first to present her with a situation, but not demand her to choose between right and wrong. Instead, he allowed her to find the answer out for herself. She shockingly determined that Dumbledore's wisdom had a large hand in shaping who she was.

She whispered, "I swear to secrecy for you, sir."

The older wizard nodded and asked, "Do you know what a Pensieve is, my girl?"

Holly frowned and said, "No, sir. I have never heard of that. What is it?"

"A Pensieve," Dumbledore explained as he stood from his chair, "is a magical tool used to store a person's memories. I will show you. Follow me."

Holly followed Dumbledore across the room until they stood in a shadowy corner. She stared at a towering cabinet of mystical glass and gold. She could see that the majestic glass cabinet was housing dozens of thin vials capped with wooden corks. Inside of all of the vials was a shimmering silverish-blue liquid. The liquid swirled and twirled within the containers like a living thing.

Dumbledore gestured and said, "The moving substance you see inside these vials are memories. The majority of them are my own memories, although some are memories from the mind of others."

"Memories?" Holly repeated dumbly. "How does this…happen?"

Dumbledore held his wand up to his head and touched the tip to his temple. Frowning deeply, Holly had to lock her knees in place to keep from darting forward and knocking the wand from his hand when she saw a sliver string begin to ooze from his head.

"Sir, are you okay?" She asked anxiously while rocking on the balls of her feet.

Dumbledore offered a silent smile and walked to a wooden cabinet a few feet away from the glass cabinet. The silver liquid strand was hanging from Dumbledore's wand like string from a fishing pole. He opened the cabinet door and pulled out a sliding shelf. On the shelf sat a large grayish bowl with ornate carvings on the sides. Dumbledore touched the tip of his wand inside the bowl and the liquid strand melted away. He gestured Holly forward, so she obeyed.

She peered over the lip of the bowl and her eyes grew comically wide at the sparkling liquid inside. The strand of silverish-blue memory was floating and flittering about like a fish. She squinted and swore she could see flashes of her own face staring back at her. Dumbledore quietly explained, "I have just pulled our latest conversation out of my mind and put it into the Pensieve. This is the tool used to examine memories."

Holly gaped stupidly for a long time before asking, "Sir…what memory do you want me to see?"

Dumbledore countered her question with a question of his own. "Tell me, child, have you ever wondered who and what Lord Voldemort was before he became like he is now?"

Holly blinked and said, "I have never really thought about it."

He nodded as if he expected such an answer before saying, "You met a memory of Lord Voldemort in your second year of schooling. Do you remember what he said to you? Do you remember what he looked and sounded like?"

She nodded and slowly replied, "He was young. He looked handsome. There were no disfigurations to his face. His birth name was Riddle. He spoke about his Muggle father with…with hatred."

Dumbledore's bright blue eyes stared deeply into hers before he said, "I would like you to watch a particular memory of mine. Pay close attention to all that you see and all that you hear. Most important, pay attention to what you feel."

He gestured to the Pensieve and instructed, "Just place your head inside."

Her stomach grumbled uneasily, but she carefully placed her face deep into the bowl. There was a moment of distorted images and a strange slurping sensation before Holly found herself standing inside a dark room. The images in front of her were murky. Almost as if she were looking at a piece of parchment that had gotten wet and resulted in the ink smearing just a bit. She stepped forward and heard the echo of her own feet on the black-wood floor.

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 **AN:** _As always, I appreciate Reviews. **105th** Reviewer will get a sneak peek. Also, I have been trying to give sneak peeks to the ones who have stuck with me regularly. If you have not gotten one at all yet and you regularly review, let me know. I am aware that some of you have yet to receive a peek. _


	31. Chapter 31

**AN:** _Thanks to all the Readers and Reviewers. Important plot-related situations here. Notice that I stay fairly, but not completely, Canon in nature. I prefer it that way._

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The room was fairly small with only a single wooden dresser and a dressing cabinet in the corner. There was an inadequate, squared window that shone a minimum amount of light into the dingy space. In the farthest corner from the entrance door stood a narrow bed with fresh white sheets. Sitting cross-legged on that bed was a boy. He wore a crisp uniform in tones of grey and white. His black loafers were shining cleanly and his dark brown hair was slicked to the side in a style that was much too sophisticated for a ten-year-old boy. His skin was beautifully and hauntingly pale.

Holly frowned and crept closer toward the bed. The boy didn't seem to notice her as he stared out of the sole window. She noted that his hands were clamped tightly in his lap, which seemed at odds with the calm demeanor he was putting forward. Holly dared to walk toward the edge of the bed and stare the boy directly in the face. His eyes were not what she expected. Instead of wretched blood-red and sickening slit pupils, she found an oddly appealing whiskey color with perfectly round pupils.

A creaking noise brought both Holly and Tom's attention to the door. Holly let out a soft gasp when she watched Albus Dumbledore enter the room. He looked the same, yet wildly different. His hair still fell in soft waves, but it was shorter. His beard was still quite long, yet it was an auburn color. His eyes were familiar and blue like a bejeweled night sky. He was wearing a Muggle suit, which made Holly want to laugh. The suit was navy colored and normal for a Muggle. She decided she would much rather see her mentor in his usual outlandish robes.

The younger Dumbledore spoke conversationally, "Hello, Tom."

The boy did not reply.

Dumbledore walked closer and presented a soft smile, but Holly noted the cautious look in his blue eyes. He greeted again, "How do you do?"

Tom's voice was smooth and defiant as he asked, "Have the administrative officials sent for another doctor to evaluate me?"

Dumbledore shook his head and came to stand mere inches from Holly's invisible form. He said, "I'm a teacher, Tom, not a doctor."

"A teacher?" Tom repeated suspiciously.

"Yes," The older man answered, "I teach at a very special type of school for children like yourself."

"What do you mean?" The boy asked. He had a hard undertone to his words even though he had a pleasantly smooth voice. Conflictingly, Holly realized his voice reminded her of Severus. Obviously, an adolescent boy couldn't reach such deep pitches like her beloved Potions Master. In fact, Holly was positive nobody could reach the same soothing, deep pitch as Severus. Nonetheless, this surreal boy sounded very much like a defensive and younger version of Severus Snape.

Dumbledore gestured to the bed with one hand before slowly sitting on the edge of the mattress. He explained, "I teach at a magnificent school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Witchcraft?" The boy repeated. Holly wondered if she had imagined the sudden gleam of interest in his whiskey-colored eyes.

"Have you ever made unexplainable situations happen, Tom?" Dumbledore asked quietly, "Have you ever saw odd things that people here can't understand?"

The boy stayed silent.

Dumbledore slowly said, "Your caregivers tell me that you hurt two children last week when you all went to Wayside beach for a picnic. You told everyone you had not touched those children, is that right, Tom?"

The boy's voice was unyielding as he said, "They teased me. I told them not to follow me down to that cave, but they did anyway. They tried pushing me into the water. What happened was not meant to."

Dumbledore nodded and patiently waited.

The boy blinked and said, "I can move objects without touching them. I can get inside of a person's mind and make them do whatever I want. I can control the elements of nature. Sometimes, I hear voices, thoughts, of other people."

Holly's heart skipped a beat and a chill abruptly ran along her skin. She watched as Dumbledore's expression turned to a grim thoughtfulness. It was several silent minutes before he said, "That is your magic, Tom. At Hogwarts, you will be taught how to control your magic. You will be taught how to expand and grow. You will learn new ways to use your magic. You will learn of our history as magical people and find like-minded friends."

Holly definitely saw the gleam of excitement growing in the boy's eyes, but the emotion was wrong somehow. He seemed too manic, yet he stayed outward calm. It was in his eyes. You could see the madness. Perhaps not madness yet, but the seedlings of _something_ Holly couldn't find a name for.

The boy asked, "When will I go there? To meet these other people like me?"

"The first of September." Dumbledore replied, "I will return in a few weeks to take you to gather supplies. In the meantime…"

He turned and pointed his hand at the dressing cabinet with a casual gesture. Holly raised her eyebrows and jumped when the cabinet caught in a blazing inferno abruptly. Dumbledore gave a stern look and quietly said, "I believe there are belongings in that cabinet that are not yours. We do not tolerate stealing at Hogwarts, Tom. I suggest you return those items to the children they belong to."

The fire ended just as abruptly as it started. And the memory faded quickly. Before Holly could blink, she found herself stumbling backward. Dumbledore gripped her elbow to steady her wobbly feet and suggested, "Why don't you sit down, my girl?"

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 **AN:** _This is a shorter chapter, but sometimes it is best this way. **105, 110, 115**_ ** _th_** _Reviewers will receive a sneak peek._


	32. Chapter 32

**AN** _ **:**_ _I apologize for the two week absence. I am juggling numerous situations. Real life sucks; we all know it. Anyway, thank you and READ ON._

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Taking a deep breath, Holly dropped to the cold stone floor and stuck her head between her legs. She focused on drawing in large gulps of air, but still stayed coherent enough to feel Dumbledore sit beside her. He waited patiently until she looked up and met his gaze.

Holly said, "He was just a boy."

"Yes and no." He replied quietly, "He was an extraordinarily powerful boy, who had a capacity for great violence. At first, I sympathized with his attitude because Tom Riddle had led a dark and troubled life. As time went on, I began to realize that the boy was not one to be pitied. See, Holly, he did not know what he was capable of before coming to Hogwarts. I am afraid that I gave him access to the tools which aided him in destroying himself and dozens of others."

"It wasn't your fault, sir." Holly spoke in a scratchy voice, "Riddle made his choices. He wanted power and control. Even now, that's what he wants."  
Dumbledore gave a pained smile and asked, "Do you believe a man is not a fault just because his intentions were pure?"

Holly blinked and looked away from those wise eyes.

Dumbledore said, "I showed you this memory because it is crucial to comprehending our enemy. Did you hear what he said about his magical happenings?"

She nodded and asked, "How can a child be that strong, sir?"

He was silent for so long that Holly finally met his blue gaze once again. The man countered, "How is any child strong when faced with adversity?"

Holly frowned and asked, "Are you saying he gained powers like that because of what happened to him as a child?"

"You misunderstand." Dumbledore explained patiently, "We could speculate on how and why Tom Riddle had raw powers that we can only dream of. Perhaps the strength of our magical core comes from our lineage or perhaps it comes from the makings of our individual selves. The important question is how do we stop him now? How do we keep him from destroying our world?"  
"I-I…don't know, sir." Holly mumbled.

Dumbledore nodded and held up a finger. He said, "I believe I have found the answer to that question, Holly. I believe I have found that missing piece."

Sitting straight up, with a pounding heart, Holly gazed at her mentor and asked in an awe-inspired voice, "You know how to kill Voldemort?"

He nodded and asked, "Shall you investigate another memory, Holly?"

She nodded eagerly and scrambled to her feet. It took Dumbledore a bit more time to stand and Holly impatiently darted to the Pensive while Dumbledore selected a memory from a glass vial. As soon as he dumped the vial into the large bowl, Holly dunked her head into the liquid.

It took a minute for Holly to bring the murky memory into focus. A quick glance around brought a startling recognition. She was in Severus's classroom, yet it wasn't his classroom. The shape of the walls were the same. There were no windows either, per usual. The same long, narrow, sturdy tables were used. Potion stations were set up across numerous spaces and she could smell the potent odor of herbs. But there was no sense of _Severus_ written across every available surface. His rickety desk with its scarred surface was not in the far corner. His grotesque pickled animal parts were not strategically placed along the shelves. His beautiful antique ingredients cabinet was not on the right side of the room, hidden like a monster in the shadows.

There was no black chalkboard nor was Severus himself swooping in between the tables with his elegant hands and billowing black robes. Her heart sunk in her chest like a stone and settled like a dead weight. It was bizarre, but Holly felt like she had lost a vital piece of her essence. She blinked when she heard a rumbling laugh. She turned and frowned heavily at the plump man sitting around a table full of young boys. She had never seen this table or this man before. Walking closer, she counted the number of boys all dressed in their standard student robes. Each and every one of them had the tell-tale green crest of serpentine Slytherin across their breastplate.  
All of the boys looked to be around her age. Her eyes immediately focused on the boy she had met when she was twelve years old. A boy who had given her nightmares for months. Tom Riddle. A sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle. He was just as handsome as he had been in her second year. He had a practiced smile on his face, but the smile did nothing to hide the malice behind his dark eyes.

"My boy, my boy," The round and jolly man laughed, "I do love candied pineapples. You were quite right to gift this to me, Tom."

Tom smiled carefully and replied, "I'm glad you are enjoying them, sir."

The plump man's watery eyes grew wide as he glanced at a magical clock on a nearby mantle. He exclaimed, "Goodness me! Is that the time already? You boys best be off to bed. I wouldn't want any of you in detention."

Many of the boys offered farewell to the man and left in small groups of twos. The man, whom Holly assumed to be their Head of House, began to flick his wand and merrily gather soiled plates and cups from the large table. Holly gulped noisily when Tom walked back toward the table and said, "Professor Slughorn?"

The chubby man jolted before turning around and frowning, "Yes, Mr. Riddle?"

Tom gave an almost shy smile and stated, "I was wondering if I could speak to you about private matters, sir?"

Professor Slughorn frowned and slowly brought all the soiled dishes into a hazardous stack on the table. He turned and said, "Certainly, Tom."

"You see, sir," Tom spoke quietly, "I am quite bored during summer holidays. I live with…many other children. I keep to myself. It's easier that way."

Holly watched as a look of pure pity crossed the older man's face. He said, "Do continue, my boy."

Tom paused before saying, "The Headmaster and I have come to an agreement and he allows me to take many books from the library, so I may keep busy with studying throughout the holidays. I was searching for material just yesterday and I came across an unfamiliar term in a Defense Against the Dark Arts tome."

Professor Slughorn smiled and replied, "I don't claim to be a genius at Defensive magic, Tom, but I will try to help. Asking a teacher better informed on the subject would be a better option for you, I am sure."

The boy shook his head and his eyes grew round with worry. He nervously shifted his weight and bit his lip before saying, "Sir, I value your opinion. I am not as comfortable with other teachers like I am with you. Professor, you are my Head of House and you are who I prefer to interact with."

Professor Slughorn smiled brightly and coughed before saying, "It warms an old man's heart to know that he has managed to aid fine young students such as yourself, Tom. Now, tell me, what is this term you read about?"

"Well, it focuses on a bit of dark magic." Tom explained, "It was mentioned briefly and I find myself curious to understand what it means."

"Yes." Professor Slughorn said slowly, "What is the term?"

"It was called a horcrux. " Tom stated abruptly while keeping a handsomely perplexed expression on his face.

The dramatic reaction of Professor Slughorn was enough to cause Holly to hastily back away. The professor's watery eyes widened and he gasped before stuttering, "W-Why, Mr. Riddle, we don't teach such darkness here at Hogwarts. You best not worry about that. What book did you say you found this in?"

Tom frowned and said, "I am allowed in the Restricted Section, sir. You know that. I often refer to more advanced theories for Transfigurations and Defense Against the Dark Arts class. You know, too, sir, that I like learning of more challenging Potions concoctions."

The professor blinked blankly before saying, "Yes, of course."

Tom sighed forlornly and said, "I was only curious, Professor. It was not my intent to offend you."

Holly watched with intent focus as the boy hunched his shoulders and began to walk away. It took only a second for Professor Slughorn to call out, "Wait a moment, my boy. Just a moment. You did not offend me. Startled me, perhaps, but not offend."

Tom turned back around and his expression was one of subtle dejection. He hesitantly asked, "Sir?"

The professor sighed and said, "There is not much a wholesome young wizard should know about such dark magic, Tom. I know you were raised in the Muggle world, so I don't mind teaching you the proper ways of a wizard. See, _that_ particular word has to do with the destruction of a person's soul. Bad business, indeed."

Holly crept closer as the professor's voice lowered. She flicked her eyes back to Tom as he said, "Yes sir. I know it has to do with splitting the soul. I was wondering what would happen if a person split their soul into more than one piece. Perhaps, I don't know, seven pieces?"

"Seven pieces?" The professor exclaimed, "Whatever for?"  
The boy gave another shy smile and shrugged, "My curiosity and mind are keen, sir. I desire to gain as much knowledge as possible."

The professor nodded and let out a resigned sigh before asking, "Is this related to an academic topic, my boy?"

"Oh, yes," Tom's face lit up with excitement, "I know we will have quite a large project to handle this upcoming year in N.E.W.T level Defense class. I planned to write about rare dark magic and how we may notice and defend against it."

The professor gave a small smile and slowly replied, "My professional opinion would be that a soul splitting multiple times would bring about inhuman transformations."

Tom raised an eyebrow and asked, "In what way, sir?"

The professor shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm not sure. You must understand that this is a very taboo subject, Tom. One I am not sure you should embark upon."

Tom held up his palms and gave an easy smile before saying, "I only wish to add it into my report. The book I was reading provided only the definition of a horcrux and how one was made, not what would happen to the maker."

"Yes," Professor Slughorn nodded, "The maker would destroy his soul, but expand the existence of his life. Eventually, if the soul was torn into enough pieces, I would assume that the maker would essentially become immortal until all pieces of his soul were killed."

Abruptly, the professor shook his head and said, "That is enough now, Tom. It is not good for the mind to dwell on such darkness. Off to bed with you, my boy."

Holly was concentrating on the conversation so pointedly that she did not feel the slurping sensation of herself being pulled from the memory until she stumbled away from the Pensieve and was caught by Dumbledore once again.

She gasped, "Voldemort split his soul. He became immortal, didn't he?"

Dumbledore slowly helped lower her to the stone floor. Both student and mentor sat side-by-side until Dumbledore quietly said, "Yes. Tom went far beyond the balance of what is natural."

There was a long time that neither of them talked. It seemed as if years past before the sinking stones in Holly's gut pressured her into asking, "Do you have a plan, sir? Do you know where the horcruxs are?"

The wizard offered her a gentle smile before saying, "I have a few assumptions. This memory was only just retrieved a fortnight ago. I have not had the proper time to investigate any of the places or objects I would think to be horcruxs."

Holly's voice was shaky as she asked, "Why don't you want to tell the Order? Sir, they would be helpful. How am I to help you? Why would you show me these memories?"

Dumbledore stood and walked back to his desk. Holly felt too tired to stand, so she stayed slumped against the Pensieve cabinet. Dumbledore rummaged through his desk and pulled out a battered and stained book. Holly frowned as Dumbledore came closer. The book was leather bound and small enough to fit inside a robe pocket. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest as he held the book up.

He said, "This book came across my desk nearly four years ago. You had just battled a memory of Tom Riddle, which was preserved in this diary. You defeated a basilisk and saved the life of Ginny Weasley. It was then that I formed my first theory of what Tom had done."

There was another long moment of silence before Holly whispered, "That wasn't a memory, was it, sir? That was a piece of Voldemort's soul. The diary is a horcrux."

Dumbledore held up his index finger and gave a grim smile. His eyes twinkled brightly for the first time since Holly had entered his office. He corrected, "The diary _was_ a horcrux. You destroyed the part of his soul conserved in this book. Do you know what that shows me, Holly?"

She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and whispered, "No."

Dumbledore quietly said, "That shows me that there is hope. Tom is not invincible. He is not the most prevailing being alive. There is plenty in this world stronger than him."

Holly's throat was dry as she croaked, "You want me to destroy more horcruxs?"

Dumbledore offered his hand, which she took. He pulled her to her feet and gravely said, "I fear I must ask too much of you, Holly."

She felt weight pushing into her body from all sides, but she met Dumbledore's somber stare and asked, "What must I do, sir?"

His voice held the same somber tone as his blue eyes. "I want you to gain experience and exposure to this particular type of dark magic. If I am by your side, I can ensure your safety. I want to prepare you for the war that is closing in on us, Holly. Do you understand?"

She nodded silently and fisted her hands at her sides.

He gazed at her with knowing eyes that made her feel equally uncomfortable and contented. He said, "I will be following several leads and will let you know when we are to attempt finding a horcrux. Until then, I worry that I have kept you from your bed for too long. Run along."

She doubted so, but slowly walked out of his office.

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 **AN:** _I will do my best to update this upcoming Wednesday. Thank you. The plot is going to thicken, of course. This is the beginning of that plot thickening._


	33. Chapter 33

**AN:** _I am so sorry about the random updates, but I have gotten a large amount of stuff finished with my house and school, so I am good to go now. Thank you to all who R &R!_

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The next day, Holly nearly drove herself mad with questions and worries. She bit her tongue until it bled every time she nearly opened her mouth and spewed information to Hermione. She knew she was should be diligently working on homework with her best friend, but her brain felt as if it was fried. Her mind kept an endless cycle of Tom Riddle memories playing. She analyzed her instructions from Dumbledore until she had his words memorized.

During lunch time, Hermione had to drag Holly out of the common-room. Ron was ahead with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan. He was still mad with her for defending Severus. She briefly wondered what he would do if he knew Severus had _kissed her._ She sat beside Hermione and distractedly piled food onto her plate. She had successfully found a memory potent enough to push her worries of Voldemort away. She sipped on her pumpkin juice and replayed the feel of Severus's body against her. She nodded as Hermione read a passage from their Transfiguration textbook, but honestly didn't hear a word Hermione said.

She had been so astonished by the sensational feel of his soft lips dancing with her own that she had barely been able to appreciate his other features. It frustrated her that she couldn't remember exactly how his hands felt. Holly remembered wanting him to hold her tighter and closer and harder, but couldn't recall what his hands felt like against her hips in that moment.

That bothered her greatly.

She remembered the thrilling sound that came from deep within his throat. It was similar to the sound of his growling voice when angry, yet somehow different. She was further frustrated that she couldn't accurately describe the sound to herself. Wistfully, she wondered what it would be like if she kissed him again. She was just falling into an embarrassing and beautiful daydream when Hermione's shrill voice yanked her away from her thoughts.

Holly blinked rapidly and said, "Huh?"

Hermione sighed heavily and said, "You haven't been listening at all. Do you want to talk about what is bothering you?"

Holly blinked again and muttered, "No."

Hermione leaned closer and eyed Holly thoughtfully before whispering, "Is it about Professor Snape…?"  
Holly felt horror and acute embarrassment filling every section of her body as she stuttered, "N-No…How could…What?"  
Hermione gave her friend a sympathetic look and whispered, "I won't say anything to anybody. I'm your friend, Holly. I'm here if you want to talk, you know."

Holly gaped blankly at the bush-haired girl.

Hermione finally whispered, "He stares at you, Holly. During feasts and during D.A. meetings. He watches you walk down the corridors when he passes by. He reacts to you in a calmer manner during class. He looks at you…differently. He has since last year."

Holly felt the blush coating her cheek in violent red as she turned away from her friend and gulped at her juice to distract herself. She almost choked when Severus stood from his chair and walked down the aisle toward Gryffindor table. His signature scowl was on his face and he harshly took points from Gryffindor house as he passed by Ron and Dean mock dueling across the table.

He stopped beside the girls and scowled deeply before tightly demanding, "Be in the dungeon to serve your belated detention in twenty minutes, Potter."

She nodded and put her fist over her mouth as she coughed. Hermione patted her on the back. Holly tried not to drop beneath the table out of sheer embarrassment. Severus hissed, "Don't swallow the entire cup, Potter. The world would mourn too dramatically if the Chosen One choked to death."

She spent the rest of her lunchtime picking halfheartedly at her food. Sighing, she pulled her satchel over her shoulder and said, "I'll see you later, 'Mione."

Hermione touched her friend's hand and said, "I don't know what happened, but he's been worse lately. Try apologizing."

Holly swallowed and blinked rapidly as tears formed in her eyes. She mumbled, "I already have apologized. I have to go now or he will freak out."

She turned and fled the Great Hall. She walked briskly down the corridors and staircases until she was in front of his classroom door. She knocked once and waited until he threw the door open with a flair of magic. Cautiously, she stepped into the cold room and went straight to her usual table. She dropped her satchel to the floor and sat down, staring at her hands and waiting for him to speak.

She could faintly hear the sound of his quill scratching against parchment. She wiped at her wet eyes discreetly and waited some more. It too nearly fifteen minutes before he barked, "Scrub those cauldrons sitting in the sink. Unfortunately for you, second year students failed epically at creating Freezing Solutions."

She stood up and shuffled across the room. She turned the squeaky knobs and filled the right side of the sink with warm water. She transferred one cauldron at a time and scrubbed vigorously with a questionably dirty sponge. Her back was facing Severus and her eyes had nothing interesting to stare at except a drab gray wall. She sighed quietly and set about drying her third cauldron. She was working on cleaning a particularly stubborn spot of unknown muck when she felt his presence.

She smelt him. Oceans and forests. Letting her eyes fall shut, she mechanically continued to scrub as she inhaled deeply. She figured she couldn't make him much madder than he already was, so she went ahead and quietly said, "You smell great, you know. Your scent is like fresh pine and rain."

His deep voice washed over her senses as he said, "Keep scrubbing."

She felt the sharp sting of disappointment, but kept scrubbing the cauldrons. Her mind eventually wandered to Tom Riddle and horcruxs. She wondered what Dumbledore had to do before they could go searching for all of the horcruxs. She wondered _how_ in the name of Merlin were they going to actually find these random objects. The diary had been a fluke, a luck of the draw. The only person who would know which objects incased Voldemort's soul was Voldemort himself. They couldn't engage in conversation and ask the man where his horcruxs were. If only there were a way to get inside the man's mind…

Holly's hands stilled and she slowly lowered the last of the cauldrons. She shut the faucet off and dried her hands on a nearby towel before turning and saying, "I'm done with the cauldrons, sir."

Her heart pumped steadily in her chest as he continued writing. He didn't bother to look at her as he drawled, "You may leave, Potter."

"Yes sir." She replied faintly as she briskly walked to her table, threw her satchel over her shoulder, and fled the room. She tried not to fumble as she made her way into the Gryffindor common-room. For once, she was glad she was at odds with Ron because she walked right past him and up to her dormitory. Thankfully, none of her roommates were inside. Likely, they were with friends in the library or playing outside in the snow in hopes of having a fulfilling weekend.

Holly went straight to her four-poster bed, pulled the curtains around to give her some privacy, cast silencing spells, and laid down. Taking a deep breath, she gripped her wand in her hand and began to slowly relax her body. Severus's smooth, deep voice instructed her and coaxed her as if he were right in front of her, providing another Occlumency lesson. She focused on loosening her tight grip on her wand and wiggling her toes. She moved her neck to both sides in an effort to relax the taut muscles there. She inhaled and exhaled in deliberately slow measures.

Time passed without meaning and she eventually found herself floating in that fluid place between dreams and waking. Her thoughts were sluggish as if they were travelling through an endlessly narrow corridor. _Voldemort. Voldemort. Voldemort._ She continued to float this way and that until a solid image took form inside her mind. She was formless as she was magnetically drawn into a sucking, black vortex. The sensation was unpleasant, yet she stubbornly refused to fight against the forcefully pulling. The image took hold with surprising clarity. Holly felt instant and potent revulsion at the scent of rusty blood in the air. She saw flashes of victims dying in swarms of brilliant green light. She saw the quick glance of a razor sharp tongue and blood-red eyes. She saw the gleam of a golden cup and greedy fingers wrapping around its steam.

The images began to dissolve and she felt panic. The instant her heartbeat began to quicken, she felt herself drawn into her own mind with a memory of a night spent battling with Severus. _She was bathed in sweat and panting hotly. Her throat was dry and her head was aching nauseatingly in time with the beat of her heart. Severus was prowling before her in all of his impressive irritation. He turned, eyes glittering, and snarled, "Haven't I told you that your emotions will only distract you? You must control all of your emotions and focus on the goal. Focus and control."_

Breathing deeply, Holly worked on relaxing her muscles once more. She focused her thoughts until she was floating away from her own mind again. She allowed her formless self to be tossed to and fro until she spotted that black vortex. Resisting the instinct to fight against the current, Holly allowed herself to be pulled in. Immediately, clear images formed. They flickered through her mind so swiftly that she grasped desperately to hold onto a single one. There was a woman with dark hair crying at a man's feet, begging. Green light hit her in the chest and her sky-blue eyes froze forever. She saw glimpses of a dark room made of stone. Not a room, but a cave. She smelt the tang of the ocean and felt the sharp taste of salt on her tongue. A locket rested in the long, spindly hand of a monster Holly knew only too well.

The emotions were impossible to control and Holly found herself brutally ripped from the memories and sitting upright in her bed. She panted and shivered as cold sweat ran down her back. Shoveling her messy hair away from her face, Holly furiously ran through her last night in the office with Dumbledore.

She muttered, "What was the name? What was the damn name?"

She chewed on her lower lip and gasped, "Wayside. Wayside beach."

Jumping out of the bed, she hastily made her way out of the common-room and down the corridors. She tried not to run, but her legs were shaking with barely suppressed anxiety. Heart pumping madly, Holly made her way down the usually deserted corridor. She was unsure of the Headmaster's password, but that had never stopped her from entering the room before. She planned to guess until she found the correct answer, but unfortunately she ran into Severus as he was coming down the winding staircase leading to the Headmaster's office.

Holly watched the majestic statue lock back in place and thoroughly cut off her only path to Dumbledore. Severus eyed Holly critically before asking in a clipped tone, "What are you doing over here, Potter?"

"I need to see the Headmaster." Holly replied as evenly as she could.

Severus raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and dryly asked, "Is your news so urgent that you felt the need to leave your bed at ten o'clock in the evening?"

Severus watched the surprise flicker across Holly's face. The girl frowned and stammered, "I-I didn't realize the time, sir. I must have…slept longer than I intended. I still need to see Professor Dumbledore."

There was a pause in which Severus stared so intently at Holly that she momentarily forgot her goal. She blinked rapidly and mumbled, "Sir?"

Severus's black eyes showed an emotion Holly couldn't quite name before he replied, "You're out of luck. The Headmaster has just left to attend to business."

He made to sweep passed her, but Holly blocked his path and hastily asked, "When will he be back?"

The annoyance crossed his face like a thunder clap. He snarled, "The Headmaster has other students to attend to besides _you._ You are not the only child under his care and if you weren't so self-centered, you would realize so."

Holly snapped, "My needing to see him as nothing to do with me. You don't know the situation at all, so don't talk as if you know what I plan to tell him. Now, I need to know when Dumbledore will be back."

For a moment, Holly was sure Severus would reach out and hit her. Instead, he took a step back and hissed, "The Headmaster is preoccupied with one of my students. For once, a Slytherin's needs is coming before a Gryffindor's. He will not be back until tomorrow evening."

Severus swept away and called out over his shoulder, "Fifteen points from Gryffindor for a blatant show of disrespect."

Holly felt numb as she whispered, "Tomorrow evening?"

Sighing hotly, she raced back to the Gryffindor common-room. The fireplace was still occupied with a blazing fire, but the room was deserted. She guessed the majority of students were asleep in their beds. She plopped down on one of the common-room sofas and stared absentmindedly into the fire.

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 **AN:** _Reviewer 115 will get a Sneak Peek! :) Thank you and I will have another chapter up by next Sunday. I solemnly swear to it. No more long absences._


	34. Chapter 34

**AN:** _Well, things are not looking too bright for our favorite girl at the moment. Thank you for reading and know that I am sorry if I have missed replying to any Reviews in the last month. I tried to keep track, so if I sent multiple PMs or did not send you one, I apologize. Enjoy._

 **Note:** _Wayside beach is completely made up. I simply wanted a name for the infamous cave._

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She could hardly believe she had done it, but she was certain she had managed to find her way inside Voldemort's head. She was certain. No other person killed that many people with an Unforgivable spell. She had seen a golden cup, although she had no idea where that cup was. _That had to be a horcrux, right? What other significance could a cup have to a monster like Voldemort?_ She had seen that antique necklace. It was some sort of locket and Voldemort had been grasping it delicately. Holly had smelled the scent of the ocean. She had seen the damp cave walls. _Wayside beach._ That was the reference Dumbledore had made in his memory the first time he met Tom Riddle.

She was willing to bet the entire lot of her Gringott's fault that the locket she had seen was a horcrux and it was hidden in the cave on Wayside beach. Dumbledore needed to know. And he needed to know immediately. _Wasn't this more important than anything else possible? What if Voldemort felt her inside of his mind? What if he was on his way to the locket right now? What if he had discovered that somebody had figured out his greatest secret? How would Voldemort's reign of horror ever end?_

Holly jumped up and began to pace the length of the common-room. Her thoughts were clashing with each other and ramming into her skull until she had a severe headache. She rubbed fitfully at her forehead and continued to pace. She ran her hand through her messy hair and swallowed heavily.

She knew what to do. It was risky, she knew. It was admittedly stupid, but she had no other choice to make. She crept upstairs as quietly as possible and retrieved her Invisibility Cloak from her school trunk. Absentmindedly, she noticed Hermione wasn't in her bed. She slung the cloak over her body and crept out of the common-room. She made her way out of the castle and was heading toward the Forbidden Forest. Holly had never Apparated by herself before. She had always travelled with an adult who knew exactly how to perform Apparation magic. Nonetheless, she had been learning about the theories and practices for the last three months. It was only the middle of November now, but she would start practicing actual Apparation in another few months. She would just start practicing a bit early. Starting tonight.

She was passing Hagrid's hut when the door swung open. Holly ducked behind a large pumpkin and peaked her head around the large mass to see who was exiting the hut. She gasped quietly when she saw the bushy hair of Hermione and fiery red mop of Ron. She stayed as still as possible, but mentally cursed as her best friends came closer and closer to her. _Why were they with Hagrid so late in the night? How did they expect not to get caught if they didn't even have her Cloak?_

"Stupid." She muttered.

Hermione and Ron immediately stopped walking. Ron asked, "What did you say?"

Hermione frowned as she looked around. Her gaze lingered on the ground right next to Holly. Blinking, Holly glanced down and felt her stomach clench when she saw the tips of her dark shoes sticking out of the Invisibility Cloak. Hermione lunged forward and pulled the Cloak right off of Holly's head. Holly demanded, "Give it back to me, Hermione."

"What are you doing sneaking about?" The other girl asked.

"Yes, why are you spying on us?" Ron muttered darkly.

Holly glared at them both and said, "I wasn't spying on either of you. I have things to take care of, so I'll be needing my Cloak back."

Hermione held the flowing fabric in her hand tightly and said, "You can have it back once you tell me what you're up to."

"No." Holly huffed as she eyed the darkened school grounds. "Give me the Cloak, Hermione. I'm serious."

"So am I." Hermione replied stubbornly, "I know what kind of mood you have been in. You're likely about to act stupidly and get yourself in trouble."

"This is important!" Holly gestured impatiently and demanded, "Give it back."

"No way." Hermione kept ahold of the Cloak and planted her feet firmly.

Holly stared at her friends. Hermione looked as if she was ready to face a charging Manticore again. Ron looked sullen, but she could see the burning curiosity in his eyes. Holly knew her plan was ruined now. She couldn't waltz into the forest without her Cloak. She also knew that both of her friends would follow her.

She met Hermione's gaze and said, "This is extremely important. Give me my cloak, so I can go take care of this situation. Both of you should go back to the common-room and stay there."

She realized instantly that what she said had the opposite outcome from the one she wanted. Ron lost his sullen expression and it morphed into one of grim worry. Hermione's brown eyes became round and her fists clenched. She asked slowly, "What's going on, Holly?"

Holly muttered, "I'm running out of time. Please, give me the cloak."

"No." Hermione's voice was pitched high with stress now, "Whatever you're doing you won't be doing yourself. We'll come with you."

Holly shook her head as anxiety mounted inside of her. She protested, "It's dangerous. I don't want either of you with me. You could get hurt."

"Does this have to do with Dumbledore calling you to his office?" Ron asked suddenly, "What are you doing, Holly?"  
Holly sighed in defeat and quickly blurted, "Yes. Dumbledore told me information about Voldemort. I can't tell you. I figured out…something, but Dumbledore has left. He had some situation about a Slytherin student to deal with. He won't be back until tomorrow and this can't wait until tomorrow."

"You aren't going by yourself." Ron spoke firmly.

Holly gaze at them both. Funny and goofy. Smart and loyal. Annoying and caring. Her best friends. She whispered, "I can't have either of you hurt."

Ron replied, "Three is better than one. We have a better chance together than apart. That's how it's been since the beginning, Holly."

"Yes." Hermione nodded and added, "Think of all the times we stood together. The Sorcerer's Stone mystery. The Chamber of Secrets. Dementors, saving Sirius and dealing with the Triwizard Tournament."

Ron gave an odd smile and added, "All the times we wiped the floor with Draco and his goons."

Hermione whispered, "All the times we stood up for Hagrid. Together."

Ron said, "Starting Dumbledore's Army and pissing off Umbridge."

Hermione asked, "How would you feel if you found out we were in danger and you couldn't get to us? What would you do?"

There was a pause before Holly slowly said, "This has to do with Voldemort. I promised Dumbledore I wouldn't tell, but…"

"Just tell us what is necessary." Hermione answered.

Holly bit her lip and carefully said, "There is an object Dumbledore needs. It will help with destroying Voldemort."

Ron groaned and muttered, "Let's go get it."

Holly cautioned, "It will probably be protected with dark magic."

Ron looked at Hermione and said, "I bet 'Mione has studied dark magical theory plenty enough for all of us."

Hermione bit her lip and said, "Both of you stay here. I'll be right back."

She threw the Invisibility Cloak over herself and disappeared. Awkwardly, Holly and Ron stared at one another for quite a while before he mumbled, "I'm sorry for being a git to you, Holiday."

Holly rolled her eyes and said, "I'm sorry for being so defensive."

Ron nodded and muttered, "…Can't believe you were going to do something so big without us."

Holly rolled her eyes again and said, "You're both coming with me now. It doesn't matter what I wise going to do."

A few minutes more passed in silence and Holly's anxiety began to heighten. Her breath left in shaky gusts and turned into white puffs in the icy cold night air. Just when she thought she would go mad, Hermione ripped the Cloak off and appeared between them again.

Holly demanded, "What in the name of Merlin took you so long?"

Hermione frowned and pointed to a beaded bag on her shoulder. She said, "Trust me, we need this. Now, where are we going and how will we get there?"

Holly mumbled, "I was going to…Apparate to the spot."

Hermione blinked owlishly at Holly. There was a moment thickly filled with pressure and then Hermione exploded.

" _Holly Lily Potter_ , how thick-headed can you be? You barely pay attention in class and I doubt you could define the central points of Apparation Theory, yet you decided you would be capable of it all by yourself? _That_ was your plan?"

Holly blinked and said, "Well, yeah."

Hermione's face was one of acute disbelief. She let out a yelp of irritation and commanded, "Both of you follow me into the forest and stay quiet."

Ron and Holly hesitantly followed Hermione. They gave her a wide birth and eyed her cautiously as they all marched through the forest. It was rather dark, but their wands provided adequate light. It seemed to Holly that they traveled half of the night before Hermione abruptly stopped and said, "We are outside of school bounds now."

Holly muttered, "How do you know?"  
Hermione pointed to a nearby tree. The bark on the trunk was ripped to pieces and numerous smaller branches were snapped in half. The grass surrounding them was worn down and extremely narrow dirt paths could be seen. Hermione said, "I read in _Hogwarts, A History_ that the ongoing hostility between centaurs and wizards eventually lead to the Headmaster of the castle agreeing to _not_ extend the magical wards into centaur territory."

Ron demanded hotly, "So any bloody person can read that in a book and gain entrance to Hogwarts?"

"Certainly not, Ron." Hermione replied, "I'm unsure of the specifics, but the wards are set to read a person's intent. If no harm is meant, a person could theoretically exit or enter from this position."

"Theoretically?" Holly asked doubtfully.

Hermione held out her hands and said, "Hold onto me, both of you. Be quiet. I have to concentrate. I can't _believe_ we are doing this."  
Ron asked, "What object are we even looking for?"

"A locket." Holly sighed, "It is valuable to Voldemort."  
"A locket." Ron mumbled, "Brilliant."

Hermione asked, "Where are we going? That's basic knowledge needed for Apparation. Oh, we will be lucky if we don't end up separated into pieces."

"Think positive." Ron offered mildly.

Holly said, "We need to go to a cave on Wayside beach."

"Wayside beach?" Hermione repeated in a high pitched voice. She took another deep breath, gripped her friends' hands and closed her eyes. She instructed, "Both of you close your eyes and think of a cave. Picture the feel and look of it."

Holly allowed her eyes to fall shut. She gripped Hermione's and Ron's hand as tightly as possible. She could hear Hermione chanting quietly, "Wayside beach. Wayside beach."

Holly gasped as she felt her body being painfully shrunk and smothered. She felt as if her lungs were being compressed, but she didn't let go of either of her friends.

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 **AN:** _I am so excited for the next few chapters! Let it be noted that I expand on magic sometimes. Most of what I write about is implied in the actual books. Some of it is completely made up by myself, but I take great care to expand on magic in a logical way. In a way that will add up correctly with how Rowling herself wrote magic aspects._


	35. Chapter 35

**AN:** _Thank you to the many who read and the few who have been reviewing lately. I am thankful and glad so many people like this story. Here is the next chapter.  Enjoy._

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Holly firmly ignored all feelings that suggested this was a bad idea. Her hands shook violently, but she clamped numb fingers around her wand and balanced her body on the slippery boulders beneath her feet. There was no room for doubt in her mind. If she doubted herself, she would fail. She took a long look at the two people at her side. Ron- tall and broad with the beginnings of ropey muscles. His red mop of hair was plastered to his forehead from the ocean spraying violently all around them. Hermione- bushy brown hair tied tightly at the nape of her thin neck and a pretty, yet plain face filled with determination. Her jaw was taut, yet her bottom lip trembled the slightest bit.

No, Holly had no room for doubt. All three of them would come out of that massive cave alive and well. She would make damn sure of it. She was just about to suggest transforming a boulder into a small boat when Ron spoke up rather loudly, "Why didn't we Apparate to the mouth of the cave?"

Hermione answered instantly, "I'm sure Voldemort has the entrance to the cave magically guarded. We got as closely as we could."

"How far off is it?" Ron said, "I'm thinking about a mile from here."

"Doesn't matter." Holly replied firmly, "Let's Transfigure this boulder to my left into a boat and make for the mouth of the cave."

It took longer than Holly would have liked, but she and Hermione managed to accurately Transfigure a reasonable boat. Now, more than ever, Holly thought her questionable Transfiguration marks was due to stress more than poor skill.

As they all slipped their way into the row boat, Holly found herself being relieved about the freezing temperature and wet environment. Although her body trembled and her teeth chattered, she was wide awake and her adrenaline was pumping.

Ron paddled much faster and harder than either girl could manage. Holly was sure they couldn't have reached the rocky mouth of the cave nearly as quickly without him. She pretended not to notice Hermione jolt in fright when the lip of their wooden boat scratched the shallow depths of the cave mouth. Hoping out nimbly, Holly landed in ankle deep water that was as cold as ice-cubes. She yanked on the boat, but couldn't successfully pull it further until Ron hoped out beside her. Together, they splashed through the icy water and yanked the boat forward until it was halfway out of the water. Hermione climbed out of the boat and mostly kept her feet dry before rummaging through a bag on her shoulder and pulling out a short tuff of brown rope. She handed it to Holly and said, "Tie the boat off, so it won't float away."

Holly did as instructed and was tying the rope to a massive moss-covered boulder while Ron stated, "You really do prepare for anything, 'Mione."

Holly turned back around just in time to see Hermione giving Ron an embarrassed smile. They all three took a moment to look around. The mouth of the cave was shallow with moss-covered boulders to their left and a slight uphill formation of dark, damp rocks to their right. Squinting, Holly took a few cautious steps toward the uphill. She could feel the presence of her friends directly behind her, so she held up a silent hand and said, "I'm going to climb up and have a look at that rock wall."

"No." Hermione quickly argued, "We go together."

Holly looked at her in exasperation. "You need to be able to break a curse if I suddenly find myself in a trap, Hermione."

The other girl bit her lip before nodding and reluctantly replied, "Go on…"

Holly found a foothold for her right foot and nimbly hoisted herself up the five-foot boulder mass. Her hands slipped across the oily surface of the rocks before she managed to properly balance and slide her belly along the edge. She quickly righted herself with her wand tightly in her grasp. She glanced downward and met her friends' eyes before taking a step forward. She inspected the wall, casting a quick _lumos_ to give her a soft glowing light. The wall was solid rock and wet. There were random spots of thick, green moss. Yet there was a reason she felt drawn to it. This was no ordinary wall. She could feel the magic. If she listened intently enough, she swore she could hear the echoing hiss of dark magic weaving itself in and out of the hardened rock.

She didn't take her eyes off of the wall as she quietly called out, "There's magic inside of this wall. What do you think we should do, Hermione?"

"Don't touch it." She heard her friend reply instantly, "We're climbing up."

Holly waited silently, but kept her lit wand pointed toward the wall. Moments passed and then both of her friends were flanking her sides. Hermione muttered a string of spells and charms. Holly watched out of the corner of her eye while various sparks and flashes escaped Hermione's wand. She finally said, "This is certainly dark magic, but it isn't exactly intent on harm."

"What does that mean?" Ron asked in irritation, "Isn't all dark magic meant to harm people?"

Holly was unsure why, but Ron's question brought thoughts of Severus to her mind. She wanted to tell Ron that not all dark magic was harmful. Not all dark magic was meant to maim and kill. She swallowed heavily. Was she right? Wasn't the intent to harm the exactly reason why dark magic was considered dark?

Hermione replied slowly, "All dark magic is violent, Ron. Dark magic goes against laws of nature. Its very essence is reckless and throws off of the balance of nature. This particular wall doesn't have an active curse."

"What does it have?" Holly asked impatiently. The longer they stood around, the more likely people would realize they were missing from the castle. Worse, the more likely Voldemort would be to find them. As it was, Holly knew he could very well be on his way. She hoped with every fiber of her being that he never sensed her inside of his mind.

Hermione explained, "This wall is set with an inactive curse. That means it is not on offense, but defense. It will not attack unless we attack first."

"How do you know that?" Ron asked in awe.

"You would know this too, if you would pay attention in-" Hermione's reply was rudely cut off when Holly demanded, "What do we do to get through this wall?"

"Blood."

"Blood?" Ron repeated in an alarmed voice.

"Yes." Hermione replied uneasily, "That's the simplest and easiest way."

"Are you sure?" Holly asked in a firm voice.

"Yes." Hermione sighed as she began digging around in her bag. She said, "Dark magic always requires sacrifice. One of the full-safe ways to ensure passage is blood sacrifice. The purpose of this inactive curse is to keep us away because the curse is protecting an important object. If we show a substantial amount of blood loss, the curse should allow us entrance."

Holly muttered grimly, "It will allow us entrance because it will see us as weakened. As no threat."

"Exactly." Hermione pulled her hand out of the bag and produced a glinting silver knife.

"Bloody hell." Ron eyed Hermione with wide blue eyes. "Do you often carry sharp, pointy objects in your purse, Hermione?"

"I am prepared for anything, remember?" Hermione sighed heavily before slipping her wand into the pocket of her robe and holding her left hand with palm facing upward. She lowered the blade just as Holly protested, "Cut me."

"No way." Hermione shook her head and firmly stated, "You have the strongest defense magic out of all of us. You can't be weak at all, Holly. I can handle this."

"I can do it, Hermione." Ron piped up, "Here. Cut my hand. On with it."

Hermione and Ron argued for a few moments before Holly sighed hotly and demand, "Just cut his damn hand, Hermione."

The bushy haired witch made a sound of defeat before reaching out and quickly slicing a long, thin line across Ron's palm. He winced, but said nothing as Hermione instructed, "Rub your hand across the wall."

Ron stepped forward and did as he was told. Holly saw how pale his complexion had gotten a minute later and demanded, "Is that enough yet, Hermione?"

"No." Hermione said quietly, "Large sacrifice, Holly…"

Another minute passed as Ron leaned against the wall. Holly watched through the bluish light of her wand as Ron's hand steadily dripped ruby red. Finally, after Holly felt she could take no more of seeing Ron suffer, there was a rumbling sound. Holly reached forward and yanked Ron away from the wall. Hermione and Holly raised their wands quickly, both prepared to strike. Ron raised his as well, but he was much slower and trembling heavily. The rock wall rumbled again and a section the size of an average person suddenly crumbled away, leaving a glimpse of a dark room beyond.

The three teenagers waited in silence. When no gory monsters or curses came flying out of the hole, Hermione rummaged in her bag before handing over a glass vial. She instructed, "Drink that quickly, Ron."

She tied a white piece of cloth to his palm and took the empty vail, tossing it inside of her purse. She asked, "How do you feel now?"

"Steadier than before." He wiped his arm across his mouth, held his wand high and stated, "Thanks."

Holly took a quick glance at both friends before stepping forward and through the hole. They followed cautiously. The flat sound of their footfalls on wet rock mingled with the sound of their unsteady breathing. Holly could feel the warmth of Ron's tall body directly behind her. Every few seconds their clothes would rub against one another and the whisper of fabric could be heard. Hermione's voice was firm, yet just the tad bit shaky as she cast a quiet, " _Lumos."_

Ron copied her actions before gulping noisily and saying, "Is that water further up that I see?"

His voice wasn't even either. Holly gripped her wand as tightly as possible and forcefully shoved the rising taste of bitter worry back down her dry throat. It seemed that there was a subconscious understanding between them all- they would not comment on the ascending fear winding its way through their hearts.

"It is." Holly whispered, "Looks like a…a pond."

With wands held at the ready, they crept forward. The bluish light from their wands bathed the dank, cold cavern in dancing ominous shadows. Holly's heart was beating bruises against her chest and she fought not to screech in alarm when Hermione suddenly tripped. A flying wisp of her wand and a yelp. Swift movement and a sharp exclaim of, "Hermione!" from Ron. Holly and Ron bumped blindly against each other as they each gripped painfully to Hermione.

It took Holly a moment to realize she was pulling on Hermione's elbow. She mumbled, "Ouch. Ouch. I'm okay. Thanks."

"Be more careful." Holly gasped, "We can't afford to have broken legs."

Hermione let out a nervous laugh before saying, "Let's keep going. Whatever we are looking for has to be in this cave."

"I hope so." Ron muttered, "Or we are risking our lives for nothing."  
"There's dark magic guarding this place!" Hermione firmly stated, "You can feel it all around us. Why would this place be warded if not to protect a valuable object?"

"She's right." Holly said, "This is Voldemort's cave. I know it. Now, stop bickering and let's take a look toward the right, at the water's edge."

They continued on, but Holly made sure to keep all senses tuned in every direction. It was difficult to see, but she could smell and she could hear. She could feel. And she had her wand. Her lips were poised to send defensive magic flying in seconds. Her heart was still slamming inside of her chest as she put out her left hand and laid it flat against Ron's chest. She whispered, "Be careful. The rocks are slick."

Hermione bent low and Holly followed her moves, carefully holding her lit wand over their heads. Hermione seemed to study the grayish, stagnant water with great care. Holly squinted, but saw nothing of great interest. She let her eyes sweep along the rest of the cave, but she only saw endless walls of dark rock and the body of gray water in the middle of the cavern.

Ron's deep voice echoed as he suggested, "Should we feel along the edges of the wall? There could be another curse like the one we just came through."

Holly nodded and said, "I think that's a good idea."

"No." Hermione abruptly stood from her kneeling position and explained, "This water isn't natural. There are no waterfalls, no stream to be seen or heard. Besides, this water smells…off. This has been magically placed here."

Neither teen bothered to argue with her. Holly quickly asked, "Do you think the locket could be at the bottom?"

Hermione's voice sounded hesitant as she said, "I don't know…"

Holly sighed hotly as her mind raced for ideas. When the idea came to her, she set her jaw and nodded once. She said, "I will go in. We can go back, get the rope that's tying the boat off and tie it to my waist. If I don't come up for air, yank me back."

"No!" Hermione huffed instantly, "That's a barbaric plan, Holly."

"What other ideas do we have, Hermione?" Holly shot back, "Ron is already injured and you're more of a reliable witch than I am. I'm smaller than you, so I can swim faster."

"We don't know that the locket is even in the water-"

Holly cut her off quickly, "You just said this is magically placed water. Why else would Voldemort have it here if not to keep his locket in?"

Hermione slashed her hand through the air in annoyance and desperately said, "I'm not trying to offend you and your plan. I'm just asking you to give me a few moments to _think_ of all the options we have."

"Hey!" Ron cut them off with his booming voice, "Shut up and look over there."

Both girls blinked and turned to see what Ron was pointing at. Ron took a step forward; his eyes were squinting so tightly that his blue orbs were barely visible. Holly frowned and demanded, "What do you see?"

Hermione gasped, "That's it!"

She whirled around and relief was evident on her face. "That's it, Holly. There's a small island toward the right."

"Island?" Ron snorted, "It barely looks wide enough to fit two people."

Holly saw a general dark shape, entirely too small to be considered an island, but it was impossible to see or reach properly from where they stood. She asked, "How are we going to get to it?"

"Swim." Ron offered simply. Holly could all but hear the careless shrug in his tone of voice. She thought and muttered, "Yeah. I guess so."

"No," Hermione spoke slowly, "The water is dangerous. I'm sure of it."

"How so?" Holly asked. She always wondered how Hermione could see what she never could.

"It's only a hunch." Hermione answered, "Voldemort would want anybody dead who dared come in here."

Holly couldn't argue with that, so she dutifully followed Hermione along the water's edge until they got as close to the dark mass as they could. Holly judged that they were only a dozen yards from the island, but if Hermione was right then they couldn't touch the water at all.

Ron sighed and said, "Do you think you two could conjure another boat?"

"I doubt it." Hermione replied, "He's the most cunning dark wizard living, Ron. If he expected people would come for this locket, he would have prepared for an obvious choice of Transfiguring a boat. It might not be the case with this water, but I've read that the darkest magic is volatile when disrupted."

"But…the wall…?" Holly questioned with a frown.

"That was a dark curse, which was designed to be given sacrificial elements. We didn't disrupt its purpose. I don't know what this magical water is meant to do. Therefore, I have no way of knowing what will set it off."

"If we Transfigured another boulder and plopped it into the water, then the magic could activate and…blow us all up?" Holly asked for clarification.

Hermione sighed regretfully, "That's the general idea, yes."

Ron spoke up, "There has to be _something_ we aren't seeing. You-Know-Who wouldn't go through all of this trouble to protect a bloody necklace unless he had a way to get ahold of it whenever he wanted to."

Holly sighed and spat in frustration, "Yes, but what are we missing?"

"Spread out and search for any suspicious looking items. An odd rock or a hole in the walls." Ron answered, "Stick fairly close together. We all need to be within arm's reach from each other."

"Yes." Hermione said, "That's practical, Ron. Holly and I will search along the water's edge over here. You look at the wall toward our left."

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 **AN** : _Oh, Ron and Holly. What would they do without Hermione? Reviewer_ _ **120**_ _and_ _ **125**_ _will receive a Sneak Peek of the next chapter. The more reviews, the quicker the next chapter is posted. The next three chapters are huge favorites of mine. I can't wait for you all to read them!_


	36. Chapter 36

**AN:** Thank you for the R &Rs. The story has not been getting as many reviews as usual in the past two months, but I know that is my own fault for fluctuating with the weekly updates. I do apologize for this, but I have found myself busy and forgetful. Nonetheless, please enjoy this chapter. The entire cave scene holds a special place in my heart.

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 _"Yes." Hermione said, "That's practical, Ron. Holly and I will search along the water's edge over here. You look at the wall toward our left."_

Holly waited until she was sure Ron wouldn't be blown to bits or sucked into a vortex of doom when he touched the rock wall before she bent down and began to carefully brush her fingertips along the floor. It was wet and slimy beneath her touch. She was cold and her fingers grew numb after only a few scant minutes of searching. She gripped her wand and looked up, feeling some of her worry ease when she saw Ron and Hermione both investigating a couple feet from her.

She heard Ron mumble a few colorful oaths, which had Hermione chastising him. Ron retorted, "Nag me after we aren't in mortal danger, 'Mione."

Holly snorted in amusement and Ron called out, "Shut up, Holiday."

She said nothing, but directed her focus and continued feeling for any strange objects along the wet floor. She bumped into Hermione's foot a few moments later and hastily apologized. Hermione sighed heavily and said, "I haven't found anything."

Holly opened her mouth to reply, but let out a sharp growl when her knee connected with an unyielding object sticking out of the rocks a few inches from the water. Hermione pointed her lit wand at Holly's crumbled form and shouted in a hard voice, "What is it? I see no curse or creature, Holly."

Holly grunted, "I'm fine."

She heard the pounding of Ron's heavy footfalls. She heard him cast out a quick shield and she could feel the white-hot magic surrounding them. She looked down at her knee and spotted the greenish-gray cylinder shape sticking out of the rock. A piece of wood with a thick, coiling mass around its top. She scrambled up and said, "I found something. Look. Come and look."

Ron dropped the protective shield and knelt beside her. Hermione bent down and wrapped her hand around Ron's wrist just as he reached out to the green wood. She said, "Don't touch it yet."

"It's a chain, Hermione." Holly replied rapidly. She tried to keep her mind solely focused on the goal, but her anxiety was getting the best of her control. As far as she was concerned, this wasn't dangerous enough. She felt like she was missing some vital part of the puzzle. She felt like a scared child walking through a haunted house, just waiting for the ax-murderer to jump out and hack her to pieces.

Hermione murmured a charm that Holly didn't recognize. Moments passed and a warm light shone brightly from Hermione's wand before she whispered, "There's nothing but a concealment charm on this chain. All we have to do is call for it."

Holly stood up and felt intense relief wash over her as she called out, " _Accio_ chain!"

Slowly, a grotesque waterlogged chain rose out of the water, droplets of gray running off of it in rivers. The chain moved similarly to a snake and left the three teenagers gripping their wands in grim defense. Holly blinked and raised her wand as a mass began to rise out of the water; it was a small boat. The boat was the same sickening greenish gray as the chain and, with a sinking feeling in her stomach, Holly realized that the boat couldn't hold all three of them inside.

She reached for the chain and jerked when she felt the ice-cold touch of its slimy, smooth texture against her palm. With hard heaves, she began to pull the boat toward them. When she came to the last hard heave, Ron reached over and yanked just enough to send the boat gliding right up to the edge of the rocky bank. She gasped, "Thanks."

"I don't think we can all fit in that little thing." Ron mumbled, unsure.

"No." Hermione sighed, "We can't. I don't think it wise to separate, but there is no way we can fit into that boat together."

"I'll go." Holly replied thoughtfully as she glanced toward the darkened shape of the island just out of their reach. "You two stay here. If anything happens, use whatever spells you need and get out."

"No." They both said in firm voices.

Holly blinked at them and was just forming an irritated retort when Hermione spoke up, "We aren't arguing again. I will guard from here. This spot gives me plenty of space to maneuver and an adequate advantage of seeing the whole of that island. You two go. There's likely to be a dark curse, so be sure to call out to me once there. Cast revealing charms."

Ron was already climbing into the boat, so Holly reluctantly followed. She knew they had already been here for quite a while, and she knew they likely had little time before somebody at the castle realized they were missing. After all, they only had an hour or so until breakfast. She doubted they would arrive in time for that. Missing the lunch feast too would definitely bring their absence to the attentions of their more dominant mentors. A flash of Dumbledore's and McGonagall's faces lit behind her eyes, but it was Severus's dark-eyed imagine that nearly made her lose her balance and topple into the water.

"Careful!" Ron panted as he helped steady Holly. He asked, "Where's all that grace and balance that you have when playing Quidditch, huh, Holly?"

"Sorry, sorry." Holly chanted as she carefully sat down in the boat.

Ron sat beside her and then they both looked at Hermione. Her hair was becoming more frizzled the longer they stayed in the wet, humid climate. Her eyes were wide and chocolatey brown. Her face was as clever and as plainly pretty as it had ever been. She nodded firmly and waved her wand while murmuring silently.

The boat lunged forward and slowly began to chug along. Holly kept her eyes on Hermione for a moment longer before glancing at Ron. She tried not to notice the building panic in his blue eyes at the idea of leaving Hermione behind. Once they came within arm's reach of the rocky island, the boat halted.

Holly squinted, but could barely make out the slim shape of Hermione.

She took a deep breath and stated, "I will get out first. Just stay still."

She stood up and went to the edge of the boat. With a deep breath, she sprung forward and landed heavily, with jarring pain in her ankles. Wincing and gasping quietly, she scrambled a few inches away from the crumbling, rocky edge and turned to face Ron. She nodded and said, "Your legs are longer. It shouldn't be much of a jump for you."

She watched, completely prepared to jump forward if he showed any signs of falling, but luckily Ron managed just fine. Once they were touching shoulders, both turned and looked at the odd pile of rocks they were now standing on. Their original assumption of only fitting two people was quite correct; Ron and Holly were touching shoulders, yet neither could tumble over without falling directly into the murky water below. Holly frowned and took in the steep slope of the island. It was shaped in a high peak with some sort of crumbling black rock that caused loose footholds.

She took a few steps forward and murmured, "Look at this, Ron…"

There was a basin made of a shiny, delicate looking shell. The closer they came to it, cautiously inching forward, the more they both heard soft hissing sounds. Ron swallowed audibly and suggested, "We should tell Hermione."

Holly nodded and called out loudly, "There's a basin here, Hermione. It sounds like it is hissing."  
There was a pause before Hermione's shrill voice asked, "Can you understand it? Is it Parseltongue?"

Holly yelled, "No. I can't understand it."

"Don't touch it." Hermione called out firmly. "Cast revealing charms."

Holly nodded to herself, stepped forward, and silently began to cast. Moments ticked by. Cold sweat was beginning to slide down her back. She wondered what time it was. She wondered how long they had been gone from the castle. She wondered if Snape had realized she was gone. _If so, was he looking for her? Would he find her? How long had they been in the cave anyway? Three hours? Four?_ She wondered if she had been wrong in allowing Ron and Hermione to come with her on this mission, but immediately answered her own question by the spiking of anxiety and guilt running through her. Yes, she had been wrong to endanger her friends.

She swallowed the bitter taste of panic and cast the last revealing charm she knew before calling out, "I've got nothing."

There was a much longer pause before Hermione called out, "Nothing? There are no signs of a dark curse?"

"No." Holly called out, "Other than the fact that this thing is hissing."

"What does the basin look like?" Hermione asked a moment later.

The sound of their echoing voices was making Holly feel queasy, but she focused on the basin. She was detailing every small attribute she could think of. After a solid minute, Holly took a deep breath and said, "It is made from some sort of shiny material. The basin itself is filled with a milky liquid."

Ron's deep voice added, "The material looks sort of like a clam shell, 'Mione."

There was a long pause before Hermione's voice suddenly sounded as if she were right next to them. She asked, "What else can you tell me about this liquid?"

"Bloody hell!" Ron jumped and nearly tumbled, but Holly reached out with lightning speed and caught his forearm. He straightened and demanded loudly, "Why do you sound so close, Hermione?"

"It's a charm Fred and George taught me a few weeks back." Her voice replied calmly, "I can't believe I just now thought of it."

"Focus!" Holly sighed hotly, "This liquid is more white than clear and it seems to be moving slightly. I can see a dark spot underneath it. Let me get a closer look."

Hermione's voice was instantly replying, "Don't touch it."

"Yeah, yeah." Holly grumbled as she leaned as closely to the basin as possible. She squinted and her heart skipped a beat. Her palms were sweaty, but she didn't lose the hold on her wand. She said, "The locket is underneath this water."

There was a prolonged moment of silence before Hermione's voice spoke again, "I believe the person trying to retrieve the locket must drink."

Ron and Holly shared a grim look of alarm. Hermione spoke slowly, "It is likely that this potion will render you immobile. Perhaps the drinker will hallucinate or fall unconscious. There is no way for me to be certain."

Holly took a deep breath, looked at Ron, and said, "One of us drinks and the other makes sure to protect the drinker. I will drink. You make sure you get me back in that boat. If you can't, leave me on this rock and take the locket back to Hermione."

Ron shook his head and worriedly said, "No way, Holiday."

Hermione's enchanted voice said, "It makes sense for Ron to drink. Holly, you have talent and instinct with defensive magic that Ron and I will never have. We need you completely uninjured."

Ron nodded and gulped visibly before saying, "We have wasted enough time on words. Let's do this."  
Holly wanted to argue. A rusty, beat-up tin cup floated their way. Ron plucked it from the air and slowly dipped the cup into the basin as Hermione's enchanted voice asked, "Did you get the cup I sent?"

"Yes." Holly whispered as Ron brought the cup to his lips. His blue eyes were shadowed in a way that brought pain to Holly's heart. She said, "You don't have to. Ron, I can still drink this. We don't know what will happen. This potion might kill you. Let me drink it."

He gave a sad, lop-sided grin and replied, "Shut up, Holiday. We are wasting way too much time talking."

With that said, he tossed his head back and swallowed the contents of the cup in one big gulp. He blinked rapidly, shakily scooped a second cup and taking another large gulp. Holly watched him intently with her hands wrapped tightly around the edge of the basin. It was cold and unyielding beneath her fingertips. She softly asked, "Ron? What are you feeling?"

He took a smaller sip of the concoction and coughed before whispering, "Don't let me stop drinking. Holly, make sure I drink it all. No matter what."  
Her heart was squeezing painfully in her chest as she watched Ron wince and swallow another mouthful. It was on his third cup that silent tears began to roll down his sickly pale cheeks. His face, so sweetly familiar and comforting, was twisted wrongly as he coughed. Hermione's off-pitched voice called out, "Is he alright?"

"He's awake, but in pain." Holly called out before walking to his side. She gripped his forearm in her hand and felt fear crawl its way up her throat when she realized how badly Ron was trembling. He wasn't making a move to drink anymore. He was standing tall, yet hunched over and trembling horribly. Those silent, glistening tears continued to drip down his cheeks. Holly softly said, "Ron? Can you hear me?"

He shook his head and let out an odd whimpering sound. She gulped and said, "You have to keep drinking, Ron. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can all go home."

She pried the tin cup from his hard grip and dunked the cup into the basin. She brought the cup to him and crouched down low as he slowly crumbled to the ground. She felt the hot prickle of tears forming in her eyes as the lost, petrified face of Ron looked up at her. He was vulnerable. He was hurting. His normally bright blue eyes were dark and dilated. Her heart was overrun with guilt as she brought the cup to his trembling lips and said, "I need you to drink, Ron."

He shook his head and gasped, "I can't."

She nodded and shakily said, "Yes, you can. Drink this, so we can stop Voldemort."

He blinked at her and a vague realization came into his suffering expression. She said, "I know that this hurts, but you're so close to finishing this potion. Once it is all gone, we can leave. We can go back to Hogwarts and be once step closer to ending Voldemort forever."

He was shaking so badly that he couldn't properly hold the cup. Holly took it from his hands and tipped the liquid cautiously into his mouth. Little by little, Ron swallowed the potion. He swallowed the last sip and Holly immediately stood. She went to the basin, dipped the cup in, and felt a small amount of relief when the cup scrapped the bottom of the basin. She knelt beside Ron once again and said, "This is the last cup. Do you hear me, Ron?"  
She frowned and jolted when his strong grip squeezed her forearm. Her breath left her in a painful gasp. It felt like bones were grinding against one another as Ron tugged forcefully on her arm. His blue eyes were bloodshot and bulging out of his skull as spittle flew from his mouth. "I can't!" He yelled suddenly, "She will die, don't you understand? We are all going to die."

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 **AN** : The **120** **th** and **125** **th** **Reviewer** will receive a special Sneak Peek. _**I double-pinkie promise that I will update the next chapter this Saturday, November 12**_ _ **th**_ _ **, if we get to 125 reviews!**_ Even one-worded reviews make me happy.


	37. Chapter 37

Ron's weighty grip caused her to tumble and her leg slipped into the murky water below. As soon as her skin came in contact with the water, there was a roaring rumble that shook the cave so powerfully that Holly felt it deep within her chest. She heard Hermione scream and the sound struck terror within Holly's heart. Full of panic and adrenaline, she watched Ron's body collapse and begin to convulse on the rocky floor. As she desperately crawled her way out of the water and toward her friend, she felt an icy, slimy hand wrap around her ankle and yank.

She would have cried out, but her breath was gone. She gripped and clawed and scratched at the sloping rocks while another hand wrapped around her opposite ankle and began to pull her into the watery depths of hell. Rumbling and roaring noises were continuing, but Holly had no idea what was causing the source of the noise. As she blindly kicked at the watery figures behind her, she could hear Hermione scream once more. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she screamed, "There's something in the water! Ron is hurt! Go get Snape! Do you hear me, Hermione?!"

She latched onto a particularly massive rock only a few inches above the water's surface. She was up to her knees in water and she could feel warm blood oozing down her arms. She caught a fleeting glance of Ron's fiery red hair as he thrashed wildly above her. She had a last moment to be thankful that he hadn't fallen into the water before she was yanked down brutally. She could feel her wand, somehow still gripped in her bloody right hand. The feel of the smooth wood gave her comfort.

The water was icy cold and she could only see vague shadowy shapes surrounding her. She kicked at the dark shapes by her feet and cut her limbs through the water like paddles from a boat. When her head broke the surface she sucked in a mouthful of air and let out a piercing scream, "Go to Hogwarts and get Snape! Get Dumbledore and Snape! NOW!"

Icy fingers impaled her ankles like needles and what little air she managed to drag into her burning lungs was ripped away once more. She fought madly to stay above as two grayish figures broke the water's surface. They were creatures made for nightmares, long and ghoulishly distorted. They looked like grotesque skeletons. She gave no time for further inspection as she raised her wand out of the water and yelled, _"Flipendo! Incendio!"_

The figures inches in front of her both caught fire in a brilliant blaze. As the harsh, sickening sounds of their wails filled the air, she turned and swam clumsily through the water. She had never taken swimming lessons when she was younger; Dudley was the only one to get such a privilege. Holly had a genuine aversion to water for all of her childhood. That aversion had increased after the Tournament. Now, as she gasped for breath and tried not to sob, she felt a sense of fear forever take root in her soul. She would never be able to look at a body of water without dread again.

She stopped only once to throw another fire spell at the three ghoulish monsters flaying madly to catch her. Her fingers were burning viciously and her arms were purplish-blue with bruises, but she didn't care at all. She scrambled out of the water and scraped her knees on rocks as she used her torn fingers and knobby knees to climb toward Ron. Sucking in desperate gulps of air, she dropped by Ron's sprawled out body and touched her fingers to his neck. She let out a hysterical sob when she felt the beautiful pulsing of blood through his veins. The empty cup lay in his limp grip.

She put her wand near his head and gasped, " _Rennervate_."

Ron groaned and slowly opened his eyes, blinked many times and mumbled unintelligible words. Holly shook his shoulder and said, "Wake up, Ron. Please, wake up. Come on."

She whirled around and screamed, _"Incendio!"_

A small wall of flaming fire angrily swept down the sloop and pushed the creatures back into the water. She heard several wails, but she couldn't see through the flames to determine if she killed any of them. She violently shook Ron and demanded, "I need you to get up, Ron."

He blinked and pushed himself into a sitting position. Holly watched as his eyes slowly cleared from their glazed appearance. His voice was rough as he asked, "What's going on? Where's Hermione?"  
Holly fought not to panic as she quickly explained, "I don't know. There's creatures in the water. We have to go. We have to go _now._ I told Hermione to leave and get help."

"You don't know?" Ron repeated in horror. He scrambled to his feet and swayed dangerously. Holly ordered, "Get your wand out. They're scared of fire."

She cast several more times and managed to drive a handful back into the water. She looked at Ron and stated, "Stay awake. Cast Incendio while I grab the locket."

She waited until she was sure he could properly use magic before running to the basin and scooping the locket into her hand. The metal was tarnished and it was a gaudy, ugly piece of jewelry. Nonetheless, she slipped it over her neck, tucked it underneath her shirt, and whirled back around. Ron was trying desperately to keep the monstrous skeletons at bay, but they seemed to be multiplying from the dark depths of the murky water. Ron shakily said, "There's too many of them. I can't handle all of them."

Holly stepped forward and said, " _Incendio. Incendio. Incendio."_

She watched with an uneasy stomach as three grayish bodies crumbled to charred dust at the base of the island rock. Ron blinked at her and cast forcefully at the closest one. He called out, "We have to get out of here. You have the locket?"

"Yes, I've got it." She called back as she viciously slashed her wand and took out three more creatures. She began to step back and Ron followed her lead. The grotesque creatures were like ants, crawling and covering all available spaces. Ron looked at her and said, "We're dead, aren't we?"

Anger surged forward. Holly looked behind her and her eyes narrowed in on the cave wall about five feet from the island. They hadn't been able to investigate this side of the cave because it was unreachable. Once they had found the boat, they had been too focused on reaching the island to bother with what was directly behind the island. Holly could just see a few jutting ledges. Wide enough to fit a person.

She pointed and said, "Get to that wall. We'll climb to the ledge and wait this out until help comes for us."

The watery skeletons were so close that the ones crawling were swiping and trying to trip them both. Holly said, "Go for the ledge, Ron. Climb up and wait for me."

When Ron stayed frozen, Holly let out a stream of fire from her wand and cleared a temporary path. She screamed, "GO, RON!"

He jolted before turning and casting fire as he went splashing through ankle-deep water. Taking the time to cast spells slowed him down greatly, but Holly had no time to focus on Ron's mistakes. She focused solely on keep piles of ghoulish monsters from chasing her friend. They were coming from all sides and Holly knew, without doubt, that she would not live much longer. She screeched, " _INCENDICO!"_

She released so much power into her spell that she felt dizzy and the dark room distorted for a long moment before her vision returned. The flames were still licking through a wall of grayish creatures, which wailed in high-pitched crescendos of nauseating death. She knew turning away from her enemy was stupid, but she needed to see that Ron was safe. She turned quickly and spotted him slipping and clumsily attempting to climb the rock wall. He was only five or six feet off of the ground. Holly whirled back around and felt her heart sink as two creatures fell upon her.

It happened so swiftly that she had no time to speak or focus enough to cast a spell. She fell backward and smashed her head on the rocky floor with a mind-numbing force. There was an undeterminable piece of time that Holly was not in reality. She floated in and out of consciousness with nothing but the black, silky voice of Severus Snape weaving a melody through her mind. The dream was harshly broken by the venomous hissing of a snake and blood-red eyes with pupils as sharp as a blade.

Gasping as her body was dragged into the icy water once again, Holly's hands instinctively tightened around her wand right before it slipped from her fingers. Waves of nausea were crashing through her weakened body, but she mercilessly pushed it away. She let out an enraged screech like that of a wounded lion before swinging out and connecting her fist with the side of the creature's skull. It loosened its hold on her legs just enough that she began to thrash wildly while screeching like a banshee.

She could hear Ron calling out for her and she could only hope he was safe. She felt tears running down her face, or maybe it was the murky water, as she bashed the creature in the skull over and over again. She could feel one tearing at her back and her skin was numbingly cold, yet she could still feel when the skin split open and hot rivers of blood started flowing. Piercing screeches were ringing in her ears, but she wasn't aware that it was her own. She felt bony fingers of ice wrap around her throat and squeeze while spiny fingers continuously yanked on her ankles. The monster directly in front of her had finally released her and sunk beneath the water.

Idly, as the water around her body turned red, Holly hoped she had managed to bash the creature's brains out of its skull. Her entire body was losing feeling. Already, she couldn't feel her hands or feet. She tried kicking her legs to keep her afloat, but the bodies dragging and scratching at her were making her weight heavy like lead. She thought she heard Ron screaming and casting spells and sobbing her name, which she found completely perplexing. _When had Ron Weasley ever cried over her before?_

She had battled, and been nearly possessed, by the most dangerous and cruelest wizard in the world. She had stared at the intimidating and unbeatable face of death and lived. She had battled ridicule, loneliness, brutality, and expectations as long as she could possibly remember. For the past year she had continuously given her battered heart to a bitter and broken man who could not love her in return. As her body grew sluggishly still and her wand finally slipped from destroyed fingers, Holly felt sorrow for all she meant to say or do. Now she would never have the chance to tell Sirius and Remus of the precious hope they gave her. Ron and the Weasley family would never know how beautiful they were and how completed she felt by being a part of their lives. Hermione would never know how reliable of a best friend she was. Dumbledore would never know how much Holly believed in him and how his life lessons truly shaped much of her life. And Severus.

Severus Snape would never know how stunningly brilliant he was. Severus would never know a gentle, dedicated love that she could provide. She would never know what it felt like to feel his body above hers. She would never know what the sound of his laughter would sound like or what it would feel like to have his warm body curled against hers in the middle of the night. She would never get the chance to hold his nimble hand or feel those slim, long fingers wrap around her own.

The world went black and her body was ripped further beneath to a watery graveyard.

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 **AN:** _Your thoughts…? The Sneak Peek will be given out soon for those that have Reviewed. For those that decide to Review for this chapter, I will offer another Sneak Peek too._


	38. Chapter 38

**AN:** _Thank you all for the responses last week. Here we go….;)_

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Severus was standing behind his desk, rubbing at his temples when he caught the sound of hastily slapping footsteps outside of his office. It was just after the breakfast feast and his day was already stressful. He had just finished yet another tiring argument with Draco and had finally, with the aid of Dumbledore, convinced the boy to cease his ridiculously doomed plan set by Voldemort himself. The boy had been instructed to meet with the Dark Lord over the upcoming winter holidays, but Draco was convinced to stay firmly within the protection that Hogwarts provided. The boy was now likely sulking in the Slytherin common-room. Severus knew the boy was worried about his mother, although he was too proud to say so. Dumbledore had sent the formal request for a meeting with the Malfoys falsely concerning Draco's academics, but Severus severely doubted the Dark Lord would allow any of his Death Eaters contact with Albus Dumbledore. Proof of his doubts showed when Dumbledore had waltzed into the Great Hall an hour before, sat down beside Severus and whispered, "Neither met me in the Hog's Head as my letter specified. I do hope their son is more fortunate then they are."

The echoing slaps of footfalls became more pronounced and brought Severus out of his musings. He stood abruptly and was just walking toward the door when it burst open and Hermione Granger came barreling into the room. Instantly, Severus's body was wired with electricity. The girl's eyes were wide and terrified. She was trembling and panting from exertion. The bottom of her jeans were covered in mud and her shoes were soaking wet. Her school robes were nowhere to be seen and she carried a beaded bag over her shoulder. His sharp eyes could spot the edge of a bloody knife sticking out of the bag.

Despite her appearance the girl spoke coherently, "Holly and Ron are stuck in a cave with Inferi. We found You-Know-Who's locket. I couldn't get to them, sir, Holly called out to me. She told me to get you."

There was a single second of complete and utter smothering terror ripping and biting into his heart. Swiftly and mercilessly, Severus used years of skill and practice to slam a steel wall in place and shove all of his emotions behind it. The fear for Holly was no longer crippling. The bitter betrayal at Dumbledore's concealment concerning the Dark Lord's plan was diluted. He whispered, _"Expecto Patronum."_

A beautiful and urethral doe appeared before him. He spoke quickly and without hesitation, "Children are in trouble. Inferi in a cave. If Holly dies, it all ends."

The doe pranced urgently, yet gracefully from the room. Granger's brown eyes were wide and so abnormally intelligent. Her voice shook and pitched oddly as she said, "I will Apparate us to the cave. Hurry, sir. There is no time. There were dozens upon dozens of Inferi."

Snape grabbed ahold of the girl's trembling arm and said, "I can find Holly without need of location, Granger. Hold on."

Two seconds later, they were at the mouth of the cave. Hermione wiped at her hand and ran forward with Severus at her heels. She hastily explained, "We offered blood to lower the inactive curses at the entrance. Inside, the water is enchanted. Ron and Holly were separated from me. One of them must have touched the water for the Inferi to awaken."

Severus ordered in a firm and bizarrely calm voice, "Fire will kill Inferi. Keep your distance. They are strong and will attempt to drown you. If it all becomes overpowering, leave and save yourself."

They burst into the massive cave room to the chilling cries of Ronald Weasley.

Hermione's voice wobbled as she stated, "I will stay until the end, sir."

Severus spared her only a single glance to see the absolute terror and determination in her eyes. He heard Ronald's echoing voice scream brokenly, "Holly!"

Severus heard Hermione casting and could feel the warmth of flames at his back. Severus joined her, but reserved energy and chose to instead cast wordlessly. Their magic charged off of close proximity of one another, which happened rarely and only between rather powerful witches and wizards. With renewed vigor, Hermione began casting in rapid repetition that still didn't come close to matching Severus's awe-inspiring displays of fierce infernos. Flames danced in fiercely mesmerizing battles while the remaining Inferi beneath Ron's ledge began to fall. Severus demanded loudly, "Where is Holly?"

"The water." Ron croaked in distress, but his voice still managed to echo piercingly off of the stone walls. "They dragged her into the water."

Severus's mental shields shook with the force of his choking fear, but he reinforced his shields as best he could while running toward the water. As his long legs ate up the distance between him and _her,_ his nimble fingers worked on tearing his long cloak from his body. It fluttered to the wet ground a second before he dove head-first into the icy water. He ignored the shock of the cold and gripped his wand tightly while propelling his long, lean body deeper. His eyes were open wide, but the water was dark and he could barely see. Years of observation sharpened his eyes. He was profoundly thankful for this skill as he noticed the subtle movements of dark shapes toward his left.

With no hesitation or thought for himself, he kicked his legs and stroked lower. His lungs were beginning to burn, but he fought hotly to continue lower. He knew, with every ache of his body, that he was coming closer to Holly. He measured each powerful stroke of his limbs and used iron-control to keep his body from inhaling. When he noticed the small mass of grayish creatures ripping at a struggling figure, his heart skipped several beats. He slashed his wand through the water like a sword and channeled his magic and mind into a single fierce thought. _Incendio._

With great effort, he forced the flames to continue despite the pressure of water all around. He felt rather than saw blood seep from his nose as he swam closer. The fire split into two slithering snakes of retribution and ate at the creatures with satisfaction. Severus had a direct, narrow-minded, and fierce need to reach Holly as quickly as possible. Uncaring about the dancing, fiery snakes licking burns along Severus's body, he concentrated on getting to Holly. All around him, the snakes were eating away at Inferi. Ashes were beginning to fill the water so thickly that Severus was forced to shut his eyes. As his fingers wrapped around Holly's thin waist, he felt how limp she was. Heart racing and panic fitfully destroying his shields, Severus kicked his way to the surface and dragged Holly toward the water's edge.

Dripping wet and fighting emotions he couldn't possibly defeat, Severus laid Holly's body across the rocky ground and felt for a pulse. It was slow and sluggish, but present. He was solely focused on counting each of her heart's beats when it suddenly thudded pitifully and stopped. Wild and enraging panic and sorrow shattered his mind. He snarled, _"No."_

He pressed his wand to her lips and snarled with the force of a rapid wolf, _"Anapneo."_

Bracing a hand across her torn and bloody back, Severus carefully turned her on her side and bent over her body in a protective manner. He watched with desperate dark eyes as water came pouring from her beneath her lax lips. She was pale with a bluish tint that caused Severus's breath to hitch dangerously close to a sob. Once all of the water was expelled from her lungs, he laid her flat once again and cast warming charms. Swiftly, he set about running his hands over her body. There were no broken bones, except in her hands. They were mangled horribly, but were not cause for life or death. Her back was bleeding steadily, so he set to using his own personal healing chants. He put her on her side once more and murmured the healing chant softly. His hands were hovering less than an inch from her bloody back. The skin torn to ribbons was enough to raise bile in the back of his throat. Rage roared a beastly promise within his chest. He could hear Hermione's anxious voice ordering Ron to show her all wounds, but Severus greatly ignored them. He knew if Weasley was suffering from fatal wounds he would allow the boy to die.

He would choose Holly over anyone.

Severus gave himself a moment to bitterly wonder where in the hell Albus was before Holly's wounds clotted enough to stop dripping blood steadily. He meticulously worked on mending bones on each individual finger of her wand hand. He was fairly sure she must have dropped her wand within the water and he knew how defenseless he would feel without his. He kept working and didn't even spare the other children a glance as he loudly demanded, "Summon Holly's wand, Granger."

He couldn't worry if the damn girl would listen to him. He was just finishing mending the bone, muscles, and skin of Holly's right thumb when he felt Albus Dumbledore's presence. He put his hand on Severus's shoulder and asked, "Is she stable and able to travel, Severus?"

"Barely." He hissed in response and jerked his shoulder away from the man.

Dumbledore's voice pitched higher as he said, "We must leave this place. It is likely that Voldemort is on the way as I speak. Hermione and Ron, are you able to travel?"

"Yes sir." Severus heard Granger's annoyingly level-headed voice.

He briefly wondered if other people battling emotions thought his calm voice sounded as annoying as he found Granger's to be. If so, he grudgingly understood their pain.

Dumbledore instructed softly, "Let us go. I want the two of you to each grab one of my arms. Ron, I would suggest you grip tightly. I see that your leg is injured."

Severus carefully and slowly scooped Holly's body into his arms. She felt so tiny, so fragile in his arms. Without consciously choosing to do so, he pulled her close and cradled her to his chest. He didn't even bother lying to himself and formulating an excuse for doing so.

Dumbledore asked, "Before we go, I need to know if you completed your goal. Did you obtain the object you were hunting for?"

Cold and calculating anger was filling Severus's chest as he met the blue eyes across from him. His voice was quiet and lethal as he said, "It is around her neck."

Ron croakily said, "Yes sir. I drank the potion and Holly grabbed the locket."

"Excellent." Dumbledore said in a compromisingly grave tone, "Let us flee to the safety of Hogwarts."

He nodded and said, "You first, Severus."

Severus sneered heavily before disappearing with an eerie silence.

When he arrived outside of the towering gates, he was met with McGonagall. She was grim-faced and steady. Severus appeared dripping wet with his signature cloak missing and a bloody nose. His white button-up shirt was spotted with Holly's blood and the girl was limply hanging in his arms with blood covering her body from a dozen wounds.

Minerva McGonagall never flinched. She came bustling closer and immediately began to cast warming charms on both Severus and Holly. She asked firmly, "Where is Albus?"

"Taking care of Granger and Weasley." Severus replied curtly as he strode up the path. She kept up with his long-legged pace and cast a silent spell to siphon the blood off of Severus's nose and face. Her voice was firm- but Severus could detect the slight pitch of anxiety- as she asked, "Will the girl live?"

"Yes." He bit out from behind grinding teeth, "I would not allow her to die."

"What do you need me to do, Severus?" McGonagall asked.

"Wait for Albus and those brats. Weasley is injured slightly. Tell Albus I will have her in my quarters. He will understand why."

With determination mounting and his walls weakening, Severus sped up and briskly made his way through the front doors of the castle. The lunch feast was likely midway through. No doubt the students had noticed the absence of the Headmaster and their hated Potions Master and beloved, yet stern Transfiguration teacher. He carted Holly through the empty corridors and largely ignored the ghosts habitually roaming about. He stalked passed the wing that would bring him to his office and went deeper beneath the bowels of the castle. The atmosphere became darker and the air colder, but he pressed on as swiftly as he could. He reinforced the silent warming charms on Holly's broken, wet body as he jerked his chin and sent the stone wall at the very end of a pitch-black and secretly hidden passage flinging open.

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 **AN:** _I would love to hear from you! It is my birthday this week, the big twenty-one, and it would make me so, so happy to read reviews from all my readers. Even one-liners. Consider it a birthday gift. Thank you._


	39. Chapter 39

**AN:** Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I had a beautiful birthday vacation, if any are interested. To the guest reviewer: you blew me away with your amazing words. I thank you so much. That being said, be prepared for this chapter. Big things are being set into motion.

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 _He reinforced the silent warming charms on Holly's broken, wet body as he jerked his chin and sent the stone wall at the very end of a pitch-black and secretly hidden passage flinging open_ _._ He stepped through, allowed his wards to read his heartbeat and smell at the blood still dripping from his nose. Reassured that he was truly the one and only Severus Snape, the wards deactivated and allowed him through. As soon as he stepped into the room, he felt the charged energy of the wards reactivating and the wall swung back into place. He knew that there would be no rock seam or telling sign for an enemy to find at his entrance.

Working quickly, Severus took a step forward and came to a seemingly normal wooden door. The knob was tarnished, but his wards wrapped around his body like silk, whispering and promising dark desires. His blood was enough to scent the air and allow him access. He held tightly to Holly and used one hand to turn the knob. Once entered, he shut the door and walked across the large room. The left side was a study of sorts with a desk, a large reading chair, numerous occupied bookshelves, and a worn leather sofa. He gently laid Holly upon the sofa and went down a narrowed hallway directly opposite from the entrance.

There were only two other rooms. He skipped over the door on the left and went directly into the one on the right, which was his personal laboratory. With his mind focused wholeheartedly on his goal, Severus plucked potion vials from his enchanted and heavily protected glass cabinet before returning to Holly's side. He stroked her throat and used a tiny instrument dropper to drip small doses of liquid into her mouth. It took half a maddening hour before Holly's breathing became stronger. Her chest visibly moved with every inhale and exhale. The tightness in his chest loosened by the smallest degree as he laid his head against hers and murmured, "That's it, Holly. Come back to me now."

He allowed no time to think of consuming feelings for Holly or his anger and betrayal with Albus. He allowed himself no moment of rest or moment to change his wet clothes. Instead, he shut his eyes and murmured a banishing spell. He quickly conjured a thick black shirt from his wardrobe and murmured a levitating spell to pick Holly's body up. Eyes still shut, Severus stepped forward and used nimble fingertips to touch Holly's wet hair. With uncharacteristic fumbling, Severus managed to gently pull the shirt over Holly's body. He cracked his eyes open, relieved beyond measure when he realized she was successfully clothed once again, and set to work drying her hair. Mindful of her injuries, Severus slowly pulled the damnable locket off of her neck. He stared at the dreadfully gaudy piece of junk for several moments while his mind ran like a well-oiled machine. When the moment of clarity came, he felt striking rage aimed at Albus. He shoved all unrestrained emotion into chains and focused on the task at hand.

Very slowly, he put the locket around his own neck. He kept levitating Holly's limp body while combing his fingers through her hair and softly murmuring a spell of Albus's invention that allowed gentle and warm air to blow from the tip of a wizard's wand. Severus had found it rather conventionally, especially considering the length of his own hair.

Holly's hair was as soft as silk and skated over the nerves in his fingertips while causing gooseflesh to prickle his skin. Trying, and finding it difficult to do so, Severus ignored the odd feeling of pleasure and focused on levitating Holly to his bed. He covered her chilly body with blankets and made sure the pillows beneath her head were adequately soft before kneeling beside her and using the dropper to provide her with Blood-Replenishing potion. Following that, he gave her a small amount of Skelo-Gro. Her face contorted into one of pain, but he knew it was necessary. He provided several scans to ensure that she had no other broken bones, but there was always the possibility of mistakes. He would rather provide her with the needed medication as a safety measure. The medicine would also aid in the healing magic he had already used on her crushed fingers.

An hour passed before the brilliant and beautiful phoenix patronus entered his rooms. The voice of Albus came from its mouth. "I will come to you if I am needed, Severus. I know you are angry with me, but I would like to explain myself. I do not want to lose your faith or friendship. I will be at your doorstep by dawn on the morrow. Please, do allow me to enter."

The patronus faded until there was no longer any blue light in the room. Severus decided his silence was enough of an answer for the annoying, secretive old goat. He conjured a chair and sat beside his own bed while watching the odd brilliance of Holly Potter sleeping. He had never had another woman in his bed. Not since he was a young and vengeful teenager who could not control himself. Once upon a time, drunk on new power and respect, he had partaken in a few willing partners. The shredding hurt he felt afterward was another type of drunken pleasure. Perhaps one of a masochist.

He had been trying to forget his love and bitter resentment of Lily Evans in all of the wrong ways. He had found out rather quickly that sexual interactions were not meant to be casual or carnal for him. His mind had been completely different and wholly intelligent since he was a young child. The pain and disgust he felt after interacting in such a way eventually brought him to a life of celibacy. Therefore, his entire life as a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been one free of sex.

He reluctantly wondered what he was to do. He _felt_ for this girl. Now, here he was, thinking of her in ways meant only for the most intimate of partners. He couldn't lie to himself any longer, although he still desperately wished he could. He was a man that had dedicated his life to sacrifices of all kinds. He was a man that was resigned to his role in a violent war and was willing to do what was needed, despite his personal beliefs. He had taken his love and hate, his rage, his sorrow and meager happiness, and savagely locked it all deep within his dagger-sharp mind. The result was an inhumane personality. But he _was_ human.

He was a man and he loved the girl. He loved Holly Potter. A large part of himself was angry and disgusted, but avoiding the issue didn't make it disappear. Despite age, he loved the girl. Despite the war, he loved the girl. Despite her faults, or perhaps because of them, he loved the girl. It seemed that he couldn't hold his emotions at bay any longer; they were slipping between cracks in his shields. For the majority of his life, Severus Snape had had minimal problems hiding what he did not want others to see. Yet this one girl had managed to thoroughly break him in a single day.

Eventually, only when he was absolutely positive that Holly's vital signs were stable, he went to his bedroom and changed clothes. He returned to her side immediately and knelt down, repeating the process of helping her swallow various potions. By midnight, Severus decided Holly's body would not allow for any more potions to be ingested. He pressed his palm across her forehead in a gentle manner and sighed when he felt the heat. He rolled her body as easily as he could and rubbed anti-bacterial solution over the wide, yet shallow cuts in her back.

Severus felt rage wanting to overtake him once more. The world was filled with cruelty; he knew that only too well. And the beautiful, tiny girl withering in pain on his bed was proof of his darkest beliefs. After re-healing her freshly scrubbed and oozing cuts, he eased her body into a flat position and summoned a wet cloth from the cabinet of his bathroom. He knelt beside her and began to wipe away the iridescent beads of sweat forming on her forehead and neck. Her eyes were shut.

Those stunning emerald eyes. He felt sharp tugs around his sternum at the thought of never again seeing that exact breath-taking shade of green. Swallowing heavily, Severus impatiently tied his stringy hair in a tail at the nape of his neck and leaned over his bed. He began a healing chant, focusing pointedly on eradicating the fever running rapidly through her system. He chanted continuously, rhythmically. When his back began to ache, he ignored the irritation. When his legs became stiff from standing without moving for so long, he ignored the irritation. When his throat became raw and raspy, he ignored the irritation.

He had no windows within his living quarters because he was underground, but he did have a meddling old goat that knocked quietly on the wall outside of his lair. He calculated the time as he cast yet another cooling spell on Holly's body. Feeling her forehead once more, he determined that the worst of the fever had run its course. He heard another quiet knock at his door, but ignored it in favor of carefully filling the instrumental dropper and dripping small doses of cold water into the side of Holly's lax lips. When the third knock sounded on his wall, Severus growled and set his tools aside. He strode to his door, threw it open, flicked his wand at the guarded wall and watched as it swung open.

Albus stood looking as calm and as whimsical as he always did. His disgustingly cheerful lilac robes made Severus want to punch Albus in his crooked nose. Severus snarled, "I don't have time for your ridiculous riddles and excuses."

The old man's blue eyes were shadowed as he replied, "I must check on the child, Severus. You surely understand that."

Severus stared at the man for a moment before whirling away and stalking back to Holly's bedside. Years trained as a spy allowed Severus to feel Albus following him even though he could not hear footsteps. With a backward wave of his hand, his entrance swung closed and the wards slammed into place, ready to defend their master.

Severus silently refused to move even as Albus came closer. The old wizard bent closely and ran a wrinkling hand down Holly's pale cheek. He softly said, "You did well. She is a bit warm yet, but her fingers are on the mend and the wounds on her back are already healing quicker than what is usual. Her throat injury concerns me."

"Don't pretend as if you care for her, Albus." Severus snapped, "You want the girl alive because you need her for this plan you have concocted."

For the first time since Severus had been a true Death Eater, Albus Dumbledore became angry. His voice was as hard as granite as he said, "You think you know my intent, but you couldn't possibly know. I care for Holly and I have done all I can throughout the years to provide her with safety and happiness. You are allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment, which is rather ironic considering how adamantly you advocate against emotional reactions."

Severus opened his mouth and then snapped his teeth together. He abruptly demanded, "Has the Dark Lord created horcruxs?"  
Albus nodded and murmured, "Yes."

Severus hissed, "I'm assuming you chose not to tell me because I am a liability."

Albus nodded and his tone was regretful as he answered, "I wanted to be completely sure before I shared my theory with anyone."

"Naturally, you chose to share the plan to end an entire war with a sixteen-year-old girl instead of your hand-selected group of like-minded and skilled adults."

"Severus, Holly is more than a simple teenager. She is powerful. She is the key to ending this madness."

Severus forced his overflowing fury behind his cracking shields and hissed, "I don't give a damn how powerful you think she is, Albus. She has thrown herself into danger for you too many times. You play your cards well, but I _know you_ better than any of these other fools. You isolated Holly with those filthy, abusing Muggles because you _wanted_ Holly to be damaged."

Years of animosity came surging forward as Severus raged on, "You needed her damaged, but not broken beyond repair. A child that suffers adversity will either come out stronger or die trying. You took that chance and your efforts paid off. Here lies a sixteen-year-old girl that is the very definition of strong. She is fierce and loyal beyond compare. Just like you wanted. She follows you blindly because she lacked affection throughout her childhood. She lacked love. She starved for it so much so that you knew she would be easily manipulated if only you provided her with some mediocre piece of affection and attention."

Albus stood frozen with eyes like a blue sky gone gray.

Severus pointed his finger and demanded, "Look at that child. _Look at her."_

Albus slowly turned and allowed his gaze to linger on the bruised and battered girl. Her cheeks were pale and covered in shallow scraps. Her arms were blotted with purple and blue. Her slender neck was covered in a ropey pattern of black-fingered bruises. The scar bearing her destiny stood out like a beacon on her sweaty forehead. Severus snarled, "Is that guilt I see on your face, Albus? What will guilt do for her now?"

Severus came closer and nearly knocked Albus out of the way as he laid a gentle hand on Holly's sweaty hair. Black eyes met blue as Severus whispered, "I will fight with my last dying breath to protect this girl. Even from you, Albus."

There was absolute silence as blue eyes pierced Severus. Albus nodded once and softly asked, "Would you truly risk the death of thousands for the life of one?"

Severus did not speak, but Albus saw the answer with clarity just by the aggressive power radiating off of the dark-haired wizard. Albus asked, "Do you not realize what an empty life Holly will live if she loses all she holds dear due to the casualties of war? How do you think she will feel, knowing that the darkest wizard of our time is seeking her through whatever means necessary?"

Severus was cold and calm as he murmured, "Life and death is not set for you to dictate, Albus. Neither is it the Dark Lord's right. How does that make you any better than he if you are manipulating the balance of nature?"

Severus watched as hurt flashed through the old man's eyes before he replied, "I want what is best for the greater good, Severus. I do not _want_ any life to end except Tom Riddle's. If you do not believe what I've just said, then I fear I have certainly lost you. And that is a loss I will carry with me until my end."

Severus felt the bitterness and indecision of a young boy well up inside of his heart. He sneered, "Why do you constantly spout such drivel as if you actually give a damn about me? Do you actually care? About Holly? About anyone? You want the Dark Lord dead. That is your only care."

Albus shook his head and underneath the whispered words were a note of pleading. "I do care for you, my boy. I have cared since the day you entered these castle walls with loneliness and sorrow radiating off of you."

"Lair." Severus hissed as his lip curled upward, "Do not dare look me in the eye and lie. I deserve your respect after all I have done for you."

Albus did not blink as he continued staring into the dark glittering eyes of a man breaking apart. Albus whispered, "I am not lying."

"You are!" Severus snarled with startlingly amounts of venom, "You never noticed me as a child. Nobody did. If you cared, you would have expelled Sirius bloody Black when he attempted to murder me. You would have punished your precious Gryffindors for the endless taunting and unprovoked fighting."

"I was not speaking of the first time you walked into this castle as a student, but as a teacher." Albus replied.

There was a pause before Severus pointedly asked, "You admit to disregarding my life of hellish mistreat while attending this damned school?"

Albus nodded and said, "You are right, Severus. There is no justification for what happened in your school days. I am ashamed to admit that I did not look deeper than the surface value of your situation. I saw only a boyhood rivalry. To this day, I regret not better handling the incident with Remus, Sirius, James, and you. I should have relocated Remus off of school grounds during the full moon. I should have kept a closer watch on Sirius and punished him harsher than I did. I should have noticed your needs long before the night that you came to me, begging me to aid Lily Evans."

One of Severus's mental shields shattered like fragile glass. His lips felt numb as he whispered, "Don't speak of _her."_

"I care, Severus." Albus spoke on, "I was a foolish man to not have noticed your mistreatment. By the time I realized the truth, you were much older and so full of vengeances that I could not reach you. We both know you would not have listened to me had I approached you in your later years at this school. By sixteen, you were working your way through known Death Eaters to catch the eye of Tom Riddle himself. I failed you then, Severus. When you came to as a young man, I failed you again by not protecting who you loved. Now, here I stand, having failed you once more by not realizing I was jeopardizing who you love."

Severus felt his hand twitch involuntarily at his side. His anger had faded as soon as he heard _her_ name. Now, he felt like a burnt-out shell with nothing left but meager scraps. He said, "I never claimed to love anyone."

"You didn't have to, Severus. It is obvious." Albus replied sadly, "Do not be foolish like I am and repeat the same mistakes. Your ability to love so profoundly is awe-inspiring."

There was a prolonged moment where both men watched as Holly slept silently. Severus asked, "Why didn't you send _me_ to collect a horcrux?"

"I planned to tell you about all of this, Severus." Albus replied calmly, "I wanted to divulge the information to Holly little by little until I was sure she could grasp the situation. In the end, she will be the one to end Tom Riddle's life. The Prophecy says so and Tom ensured that the Prophecy must come true the moment he marked Holly. She is the key to ending it all. My methods are, as you have told me, quite harsh. Nonetheless, she must realize her own strengths or we will all die."

"How is sending children to a cave filled with the darkest creatures known to our world considered profitable, Albus? She has raw power, but does not know how to control it. She was being drowned and ripped to pieces by a swarm of Inferi. If I had not gotten to her when I did…"

Albus sighed and quietly said, "I did not authorize this mission. Holly took it upon herself to battle within the cave. Mister Weasley and Miss Granger have informed me that they caught Holly sneaking out to the forest. When they refused to leave, she told them she had to retrieve this locket before Voldemort did."

Severus sneered, "Absolute stupidity. Damnable Gryffindors."

Albus gave a wan smile and quietly said, "They are bafflingly brave and loyal, Severus, as are you. Do you accept my apology, old friend?"

Severus huffed without heat, "Your apologies do not change the result that has become Holly. She is a reckless Gryffindor. You shouldn't have left her stagnant with nothing but crucial information as ammunition. If you know her half as well as I do, you should have known she was characteristically bound to make hasty decisions once she formulated a plan of action."

Albus smiled once more and said, "I will feel great joy when you admit to yourself that you love the girl, Severus."

Severus jerked his chin toward the door and suggested mildly, "Go away and leave me in peace, so I may tend to her wounds."

Albus Dumbledore's voice was cheerful once again as he replied, "Give me that locket and I will hold it in my possession until Holly awakens."

Severus ripped the locket off of his neck and tossed it to Albus just as the old man said, "I'm off to deal with Sirius and Remus."

"You told the dogs?" Severus growled.

Albus laughed and said, "Not at all. I informed Arthur and Molly that their son was currently healing from a broken leg and a concussion. Naturally, they wished to see their child and discuss the situation that has occurred. I calmed Molly when she heard from Ron just how badly Holly was injured. She contacted Remus at her first opportunity. I received an owl from both he and Sirius a few moments before I ventured down here. Sirius was quite unpleasant and demanded that someone meet him at the front gates. I sent Minerva."

Severus snorted and replied, "Neither of those dogs are allowed in my quarters. I will hex them both to the brink of death."

"I will keep them at bay, although I do not know how long that will work."

"She nearly died, Albus." Severus hissed, "Get out. And keep the damn mutts away."

Albus blinked and acted as if Severus was not one of the most unpleasant men in the world. He asked mildly, "Exactly how long will Holly's recovery time be?"

Severus growled and flung the entrance wall open. He gestured pointedly and said, "She won't be walking or maneuvering much at all for several days. Get. Out."

Albus gave a wistful smile before waltzing out of the room. Severus continued growling as he slammed the wall and door shut once more. His wards placed themselves on guard, which served to loosen the tight knot of muscle at the base of his neck. He bent lowly over Holly and checked her pulse, savoring the feel of her soft skin against his fingertips. Assured that her heart was thumping strongly once again, he grabbed the thick book off of his nearby table and settled down to read. His eyes were bloodshot and heavy, but he knew he would not sleep at all until he saw Holly's emerald eyes.

END PART TWO

* * *

 **AN:** _This chapter was extremely important and meant to showcase Severus and Dumbledore's relationship as well as Severus and Holly's. Both men had a complex relationship within the actual series, filled with love and hatred and suspicion and confusion and betrayal and ultimately…trust somehow remained until the end. I truly believe Dumbledore was the only person, despite Lily Evans, who ever understood Severus Snape. All of this plays a role in the final ending, which is coming much further down the road._

 _Comments would be appreciated. I am curious to know if I appropriately managed to show the dynamics of Dumbledore and Severus._


	40. Chapter 40

**AN:** _Thank you for the beautiful reviews and reads. Now, we begin Part Three of Love's Sacrifice._ _Enjoy._

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Albus Dumbledore strolled down the hillside in the brisk morning air. He knew, even as he whistled lowly, that Remus Lupin and Sirius Black would be difficult to handle when over-brimming with emotional charge. Remus, while unquestionably more levelheaded than his best friend, could still become severely irritated due to his unfortunate affliction. As he came down the sloping path that lead to the grand front gates, and such beautiful gates they were, Albus saw the two men in question. Sirius was currently pacing on four paws and baring sharp, white canine teeth.

Albus offered a small smile to Minerva, who was standing in a subtle defensive position with a grim-mouthed look on her face. She nodded briskly and asked, "Holly?"

Remus's normally polite voice cracked as he demanded, "What is the meaning of this, Dumbledore?"

The older wizard turned, flicked his hand and watched as the shimmering wards dropped. He urged, "Come in quickly. Both of you."

Remus walked through the gates with a scowl on his face, but Albus idly thought the expression wasn't nearly as impressive on Remus as it was on Sirius. A tall, stocky black dog with unruly fur came bounding forward. He gave a growl, but calmed when Remus patted him on top of the head. He sighed heavily and sad brown eyes met wise and blue. Remus quietly asked, "What happened? Merlin, Dumbledore, why all this secrecy? Why didn't you contact us immediately?"

Albus gestured and said, "Come to my office. We have much to discuss. Minerva, you will attend as well, yes?"

The stern, old woman gave a withering expression and answered crisply, "No, I would prefer to stay unaware of the situations at hand. That way, I may be caught by surprise in this war."

Albus offered a tinkling laugh and lead the odd group into the castle and to his office. Only once they were safely inside, and Albus had added further protection to his personal wards, that he gestured for everyone to sit down. The black dog twisted and growled and became a bizarre blob of limbs before Sirius Black stood on two legs and glared spectacularly. He demanded, "What in the name of Merlin is going on, Dumbledore? Where is my goddaughter? I want my questions answered."

Albus held up a palm and calmly said, "She is being cared for by the best. I will take you to her, but I can't at this time. She was severely injured and, as far as I have seen, she will likely need several days to recover. Perhaps, even several weeks."

 _"Weeks?"_ Sirius repeated in frustration, "Explain this."

Albus sat himself behind his desk while Minerva stood ram-rod straight near his left. Remus was slumped in a chair with worry and exhaustion written all over his face. He muttered, "Sit down, Sirius. Let the man explain himself."

Grumbling, Sirius threw himself into the only available chair and stared with dark dagger eyes. There was a beat of silence before Albus slowly explained, "I divulged information to Holly for reasons in which I cannot tell any of you. She swore to secrecy until further notice. Unfortunately, I found myself dealing with a situation that took my attention away from Holly."

"What situation?" Sirius snapped heatedly, "She should be a priority at all times."

Albus stared unblinkingly at the wild man for a long moment. He said, "I am aware that you are upset, Sirius, but I must ask you to allow me to finish speaking. I daresay it is within your right to accuse me and feel negativity because Holly was under my care when she was hurt, but I can assure you that this was not done purposely. I had no idea what Holly was doing."

Remus put a straining hand on Sirius's shoulder and said, "Continue, sir."

Albus nodded once and explained, "I was attending to a private situation which will later be revealed to you all. By the time I returned to the castle, Holly was gone. At first, I did not realize she was gone. Miss Granger rushed with haste to find Severus and informed him of the predicament. Severus, being fully aware of the dangerous situation at hand, sent a message by Patronus and went directly to Holly's aid. He saved her life as well as the lives of both Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley."

"Where were they?" Sirius huffed, "Why did Hermione go to that git instead of you? What were they doing? Where is Holly now?"

Albus gave a wan smile and answered, "She is resting and being tended to here within the castle. Holly, as brave as she is, took it upon herself to lead a mission based on information I have given her when she couldn't find me. She was attacked and nearly killed while attempting to aid Ron. To my knowledge, Hermione was somehow separated from the two and rushed to retrieve help."

Remus cursed lowly under his breath while Sirius snarled, "Who attacked her?"

Albus quietly said, "Inferi."

He heard Minerva gasp quietly before Sirius gaped, "What did you say?"

Albus gravely said, "Tom Riddle is not afraid to twist nature until it is nearly unrecognizable. Holly was not aware of the trap set and was attacked."

Remus put his hands against his face and groaned, "How did she survive this?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Albus replied, "I have spoken to Ron briefly, but he is now sound asleep in the hospital wing. I am under strict orders from Poppy not to bother her patient. However, what I have seen in the last few hours is enlightening. I would likely be safe in saying that Severus saved, and is still maintaining, Holly's life."

Abruptly, Sirius jumped up from the chair and demanded, "Is she with that bat right now? Take me to her, Albus."

Albus stood up slowly and quietly said, "Your hatred gets you nowhere, Sirius. I cannot bring either of you to see Holly at this time."

 _"Why not?"_ Sirius demanded in outrage and exasperation.

"Holly has just been touched with severely Dark magic and there is none more knowledgeable and diligent enough to heal her than Severus." Albus replied with a sorrowful tone, "The man has saved your goddaughter numerous times. One would think that you should be grateful to him, Sirius, despite your hate."

Sirius snorted crudely and ran a hand through his wildly handsome black hair. He stated, "You still haven't explained _why_ we can't see her."

Albus said, "Severus came to the castle in haste. Holly was slipping away swiftly, so Severus took immediate action and used valuable potions that were within his private quarters. He is a private man and refuses people to know the entrance to his living area within the castle."

Remus's hunched over figure slowly straightened as his brown eyes flickered with curiosity and suspicion. Sirius cursed loudly before saying, "She is with him in his _living quarters?"_

Remus quietly said, "Sirius…"

Sirius sighed heavily and sat on the chair once more. Remus asked, "When will we be able to see her? If she is this close to…to…"

"My dear boy," Albus came around the side of his desk and touched each man on the shoulder. He said, "Severus would never allow Holly to die. Do you believe I would stand here, keeping you from her, if the situation was truly so bleak?"

Remus nodded and shut his eyes. He murmured, "Of course not…"

Albus gently said, "It would be unwise to move her right now, but Severus has assured me that she is on the mend. He told me she would wake soon, but likely be unable to accurately move her body for many days. You see, her injuries are extensive. Particularly concerning are her back, throat, and hands."

"What injuries does she have?" Sirius demanded in a rough voice.

Albus explained quietly, "I do not know the extent of her injuries as well as Severus, but I did my own diagnostic to ensure Holly's stability. Her broken bones were mending and Severus was attending to the wounds on her back."

Sirius hotly asked, "What are we to do while we wait around for Princess Snape to bring her out of his damn dungeons?"

Albus gave a smile, but it was rather grave. He replied, "I have a mission for you, Remus, although I would not wish you to go alone. I doubt Sirius will agree with this plan, but if you two gentlemen are willing to discuss it…"

* * *

 **AN:** _No Severus and Holly in this short chapter, but this scene is important in its own way. I know there are Sirius Black lovers out there and I am a fan of him as well. In my story, the reader only hears from him occasionally…but he is an extremely vital character. I will likely put out another chapter toward the end of this week. Feel free to review and give me your personal take on Sirius. THANK YOU._


	41. Chapter 41

**AN:** _I apologize for the delay. I finished my final exams last week and have been preoccupied with holiday-related situations._ _Thank you_ _to all the readers and reviewers._ _Please, enjoy._

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The first taste of life that Holly experienced was ice-cold hands ripping hot strips of skin away from her shoulders and back. She was screaming. She was barely breathing. Or she was breathing too much. The water lapped greedily, attempting to suck her down to Hell. She was screaming and her throat was burning piercingly. Her body was frozen and heavy. Too heavy. When her eyes flew open, she saw blurs of color that she couldn't decipher. She choked, gasping desperately and clawing at her throat in a mad attempt to breathe. Just breathe.

Severus came briskly down his narrowed corridor and spoke firmly, "Stop this, Holly. Stop moving."

He felt a seedling of grim hesitation, but he forced himself not to falter. He bent down, gripping her wrists as she continued to screech and claw at her throat. There was a moment where he used more physical force than he wanted to as he put his knee against her thrashing legs. His voice was pitched deep as he called out, "You are safe. You are safe now, Holly."

He felt a trickle of unease as he watched her eyes roll about madly, showcasing the white and nearly none of her beautiful green irises. Still holding her wrists tightly, he pulled his wand from his side cloak-pocket and murmured, " _Petrificus Totalus."_

Instantly, the girl ceased all movements. He released her frozen wrists and watched as her wide eyes stared at him in a maddening range of emotions. He met her gaze straight on and soaked in her image. She was terrified. The scent of terror was flowing off of her in waves. Her long ebony hair was plastered to the sides of her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were bloodshot, which was enough to call forth primal protective urges from deep within him. Severus waited a moment longer and watched with rapid attention as the animalistic terror faded away.

He whispered an incantation and then Holly's frozen body slumped against the bed in exhaustion. Severus watched as her chest rose and dropped. He felt his own body relax by the tiniest degree. She opened her mouth, made a choking sound, and winced. A tear squeezed out from her right eye and trailed down her bruised cheek.

Severus reached forward and gently touched the tip of his wand against her face. He met her eyes before murmuring, _"Episkey."_

Slowly, the bruise shrunk itself until her pale cheek was unblemished once more. He watched as she licked cracked lips before opening her mouth. Instantly, she shut her mouth and winced as she swallowed noisily.

"Do not talk," He instructed quietly, "You have internal bruising in your throat. It will take numerous healing sessions before you will speak without pain."

She blinked and Severus felt internal relief to see the clouded look of horror leaving her eyes. There was an unease, different from any other he had ever felt, and he knew the feeling was because of _her._ Because of Holly. Because she was hurt. And he had failed to adequately protect her.

He stood up and went to the nearby table. Holly turned her head the slightest, but the pain was still immediate and sharp. She gasped and choked on blinding pain as it radiated from her chest to her jaw. Severus turned abruptly and knelt at her bedside with a clear cup of water. He whispered, "This will hurt, but it must be done."

Carefully, he levitated her into a sitting position and briskly conjured many pillows. He put them behind her back and said, "Your back is covered in lacerations. You will feel great discomfort when you move. Stay in the position I put you in."

When he gently set his palm in between her shoulder blades, he cursed and she winced. He muttered, "Your thrashing has ripped open what little skin reconstruction I managed to accomplish last night."

He sighed quietly before leaning over and saying, "You will drink slowly. You will experience extreme discomfort, but you must take in fluids to counterbalance the amount of potions you have ingested in the last twenty-four hours."

She tilted her head and winced uncontrollably. He brought the cup to her bottom lip with exaggerated slowness and intently watched as Holly parted her lips and took in a sip. A second passed before she swallowed and coughed, which caused her to struggle and gasp. Severus reached for her hands just a moment before she managed to touch her throat. He spoke firmly, "You must not touch your throat."

She nodded once more before slowly parting her lips. She looked much like a fish out of water, which made his thin lips twitch with amused affection for just a moment. He pushed the feeling away and put the cup to her lips. It took several tries and many painful coughs from Holly before they both found a rhythm that worked. Only after she had successfully drank an entire cup did he allow her to stop. He said, "I must perform another healing session. I will levitate you until you are lying on your stomach. Then, I will work on your back."

He waited with hands at his sides. She nodded once and he raised his wand, flicking it languidly until he had gradually lied her back upon his bed. His face stayed expressionless and his movements stayed smooth as he shut his eyes and began to chant. He focused as pointedly as he could and ran his wand in complex patterns just inches from her mutilated skin. Time became irrelevant to him. His knees were aching and his throat was dry from the steady stream of syllables tumbling from his lips, but he did not stop.

When he was sure he had done all he could with his personal healing spells, Severus stood up on creaky knees and flicked his wand toward the table. A murky orange vial zoomed across the room at a swift speed. Severus reached up and snatched it from the air with long, nimble fingers. He warned, "I will levitate you once more."

When he received no movement, he frowned and leaned forward to get a better look at her face, which was halfway hidden beneath a pillow. She was breathing evenly and her hair was thrown about in a hazardous mess. She was asleep.

Swallowing heavily, Severus levitated her as smoothly as possible. When the full weight of her body was once more on her torn back, she winced in her sleep and let out a thready whimper. Severus leaned down, felt her forehead and cast a cooling charm on her body. He pushed her hair away from her sweaty forehead and murmured, "I won't be going anywhere, Holly."

It was several hours more of continuous feverish nightmares and wretched screams before Holly finally became alert. She was panting heavily as salty sweat dripped down her temples and pooled at her lower back, successfully making the slices in her back ache even more. Her breath caught in her throat and burned as she blindly groped for him. She couldn't smell him or see him, but she _knew_ he was there.

"Snape…" She rasped brokenly, "D-Don't leave."

She felt a wet cloth brush against her forehead and inhaled deeply, completely ignoring the burn inside her throat, so she could concentrate on the smell of oceans and forests. His deep voice washed over her broken body like a cooling balm as he whispered, "I am here. Stay still now or you will damage yourself beyond repair."

Each breath felt like sharp razors digging into her throat and her hands felt like balloons, full of air and incapable of specific direction. She attempted to swallow and let out a painful moan instead. Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, Holly rolled her head in the general direction of Severus's voice. Her eyelids felt extremely heavy, but she forced them open and blinked as tears dripped down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, but the sharp pain was too much. Snapping her jaw shut, she reached out a hand and watched as it flopped closely to his arm. She watched, barely capable of breathing, as Severus softly ran his hands and wand over her chest and stomach. He was murmuring quiet words in a language she had never heard.

Seconds passed like hours before he stood up straight and tall and impossibly dark. Underneath the haze of fever and pain, Holly simply wanted to look Severus in the eyes. She wanted to see through those dark, mysterious doors because they were the only thing left to bring her peace. She attempted to move her head at the correct angle, but sudden stabbing pain had her choking on air. She heard that honey-coated voice whisper a sharp oath, which thoroughly shocked her. Rarely, had she heard him curse and never had she heard him say such an undignified word. She felt her body rise slowly into the air and the blinding pain eased enough so that she now fully focused on her faint amusement at hearing Severus use such horrible language.

At first, she was unsure why he had levitated her body, but once she felt a pleasantly tingling sensation along her mangled back she no longer cared why she was floating. She couldn't get her limp hands to wipe away the hot tears on her face, so she quit trying to. Instead, she let her head flop to the side and soaked in his graceful movements while he mixed a substance in a cauldron nearby. He returned moments later and paused just long enough for black eyes to meet green. He spoke quietly, "I have healed your spinal injury. However, most of the lacerations were bone-deep."

 _Not good,_ Holly found herself dimly thinking before she forced her head to turn in the direction of her right hand. It lay limp and swollen with extremely red skin. Quite suddenly, she felt her vision fading as she heard the echo of _crunching_ sounds. Her eyes squeezed shut and she flinched as the sound of her own piercing screams filled her mind. There was a flash of deep black and the lingering taste of salty water in her mouth. For an extended moment, she could not breathe.

When her ears finally stopped ringing and her screams stopped echoing, she felt Severus's strong presence everywhere. His long, thin fingers were softly touching her head and his chest was just mere inches from her face. He was calmly saying, "You are safe with me, Holly. You must calm yourself. You are not in that cave anymore."

Nothing else could be heard except the harsh, rasping sounds of Holly's breathing. It took many minutes before Severus managed to calm her. He kept one hand lightly lying against her upper shoulder while he used the other to apply a cool liquid to her right hand. She felt a slight burn, in which she flinched, before her hand became wonderfully numb. He applied this liquid to her other hand before capping the bottle and setting it on the nearby table. He flicked his wand and a tray came closer until it was hovering by Holly's bedside. She watched through heavy-lidded eyes as Severus poured a clear liquid into a cup and added a pinch of green herbs. He turned, levitated her with a quick movement and quietly instructed, "You must drink this no matter how difficult it is."

This attempt of getting liquid down Holly's throat went about the same as the first attempt had. Badly. She coughed and gasped and choked. Hot tears coursed down her eyes and razors sliced viciously at her throat. She managed to put most of the first cup on the bed or herself. Severus never once yelled at her.

He held up a spoonful of liquid and said, "Try again."

She parted her dry lips just a fraction of an inch and Severus worked carefully to slip the metal spoon into her mouth. He tipped the utensil at the slightest angle and watched with pointed attention as Holly swallowed and nearly convulsed. He felt his chest tighten as tears flowed freely down her face and her eyes shined like polished jewels. Her cheeks were flushed and her ebony hair was like dewy satin. Despite his heart's rejection at the sight of her suffering, he fully believed she was unbelievably beautiful when she cried.

He brought the spoon to her lips once more and made sure she drank half a cupful before he set the cup aside. He said, "That is enough for now. That mixture will work as a shield and coat the inside of your throat."

He stood and she watched through blurry vision as he placed multiple ingredients in a bowl. Seconds ticked by as he murmured a quiet spell before the bowl lit up with a single flame. After a moment, she smelled a curious and foreign scent. Her eyes grew even heavier as he came to her side once more. He softly pushed the sweaty hair out of her face before placing a wet cloth on her forehead. He instructed, "Breathe deeply and rest, Holly. I will not leave you."

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 **AN:** _Repetitive scene of Severus attempting to heal Holly, but I needed to convey how hurt she is. Also, if you read closely, you should be able to sense what is happening to Severus._


	42. Chapter 42

**AN:** _I am so sorry for the delay. I was celebrating holidays and directly following that, my little rural area had a massive power outage. Never fear, I am back and ready to go! Enjoy._

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Holly remembered odd images of Severus and nothing but darkness until the next time she woke. Her head ached in time with the beat of her heart and her back felt as if she were lying on a bed of hot coals. She pressed her lips together tightly to keep from crying out because she knew the pain would increase if she used her vocals. She took shaky, shallow breaths until the burning sensation lessened. She began to mentally count the number of charms she knew in an attempt to distract herself from the pain. She had only counted nine charms by the time she heard voices nearby.

The first voice said, "She seems worse off than even you imagined, Severus."

"She is healing." A dangerous voice replied. Deep. Dark. Velvet wrapped blades. Severus continued, "The bones in her hands are completely healed as is her spinal injury. Another twelve hours and the lacerations will no longer be as severe."

"I trust your judgment, Severus." A gentle voice replied, "I fear for her just as you do, my boy. I wish only for updates and to know if I can be of assistance."

When her groggy mind recognized the familiar voice she felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. There was a flash of slick rock behind her eyelids and the taste of salty water in her mouth before Holly croaked quietly, "Dumbledore."

She heard the quiet footsteps of both men, but smelt Severus before she felt his presence. Ocean and forest. He quietly said, "Do not speak or you will cause yourself unnecessary agony. I'm going to levitate you, so you may drink."

She was breathing harshly as her lungs burned by the time Severus had her into a sitting position. She blinked rapidly before both men came into view. Severus was graceful and dark as he always was. Dumbledore stood with wise, blue eyes and lilac robes just as he usually did. They were the same, yet everything was different. Startling flashes of red hair and Hermione's high-pitched voice entered Holly's mind. Her heart was pounding and her head felt as if it was cracking apart as she croaked, "R-Ron…H…Her…"

"Your friends are fine, child." Dumbledore stepped forward and offered a smile that didn't meet his blue eyes. "They are safely attending class. Hermione has graciously decided to take notes for you while you are incapable of doing so."

She felt a large part of tension release from her chest. Her heartbeat slowed somewhat as she swallowed, winced, and mumbled, "Lock...et…"

Severus paused for a moment before continuing to stir the mixture in his cauldron. Dumbledore nodded and said, "It is heavily guarded in my office until further notice. Once you are healed, we will discuss our next steps."

Holly nodded slowly, but was suddenly and thoroughly distracted as Severus took long strides to her side. He faced her and she watched the extreme irritation flare in his eyes before his face smoothed over. He scooped the watery liquid out of the cup and whispered, "This time should not be as painful as the last."

She sipped obediently and tried her best not to cry, although hot tears still leaked from the corner of her eyes. She blinked rapidly and her head wobbled unsteadily. Severus gripped the cup in one hand and slowly slipped his hand beneath her head and cradled her skull with a gentle, wide sweep of his palm. Holly blinked and she felt her cheeks burn dizzily with embarrassment. He murmured, "This stew broth has healing properties. It is warm, so be cautious."

Holly took the first spoonful with exaggerated slowness and winced, nearly choking at the strong flavor. Severus's quiet voice floated over and around her, seeming to settle somewhere inside her chest and take root. He said, "Your throat will be numb by now. I doubt you will even taste with the strength of the numbing agents I have added."

He held up another spoonful. She blinked until her watery vision cleared and then she found herself captured as usual by his black stare. Quickly, she forced herself to drop her eyes and opened her mouth, waiting until he softly pushed the spoon across her tongue. Many minutes passed before she noticed Dumbledore walking out of the room. His whispered words went unheard by Holly because the broth was making her eyes droopy. She could still feel Severus's wide palm as he held her head gently. She pried her eyes open, intent on seeing him again.

His thumb rubbed across her cheek before he quietly said, "Rest now. I will be here when you wake."

Those words kept her safe, although not for long. She woke with a start, covered in cold sweat and shivering, some hours later. Completely disoriented, Holly took gasping breaths that burned a path of fire down her throat and into her lungs. She clutched desperately at her chest and fought off the spiraling images of her nightmare for a long moment. She blinked as sweat ran down her forehead before letting out a choked noise.

Severus. Where was Severus?

She let out another choking sound and then she heard his quiet footsteps to her left. She swung her neck around, wincing at the pain attacking her from various angles. It was dark in the room, but she could feel the damp cloth beneath her that told her she was on a bed. She could see _him_ and that was the most important thing. He was wearing his billowing cloak of midnight and his usual stern expression. He was tall, so tall. She blinked and was trying to crane her neck upward right before he dropped to his knees beside her. His black eyes glittered sharply in the night as he pulled a vial out of his pocket and wordlessly handed it over.

It tasted of sweet nectar and felt like a burst of lightening in her chest. She gasped in surprise and looked at him with wide, green eyes. He felt like smirking, but refrained from doing so. He murmured, "That potion is brimming with minerals and energy, but you need a bath before I can work on your lacerations."

She felt the heat creeping up her neck and was mortified as she tried to discreetly smell her underarms. This time, Severus felt his lips twitch up just a bit as he said, "I will walk you to the bathroom. I have already called house-elves to aid you."

He stood up and towered over her before instructing, "Put your arms around my shoulders and I will hoist you up."

She blinked, burning with even more embarrassment. Shaking her head, she scooted closer to the edge of the bed and slowly slipped her legs to the floor. The sharp intake of breath alerted Severus. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and wordlessly waved it in a simple pattern. Instantly, a dim path of orange light glowed across the stone floor. Delighted, Holly placed her bare feet on the floor once more. The bright smile that lit up her face had Severus's heart skipping a beat. He felt his lips twitch once more in what he hoped was a decent smile of his own.

He watched the wonder and cautious joy fill her emerald eyes before she slowly stood up. Her legs were shaky and her arms trembled, but her lips were pressed into a firm line. He sighed quietly and held out both hands, palm upwards. She frowned and stared intently at him for a full minute before reaching up and clasping their hands together. Both followed the warm, orange path down the hallway in silence. Severus walked backward slowly, sharp eyes watching for any sign that this exercise was too much for Holly's body.

He could see and feel her trembling, but her sweaty face was one of complete determination. Her eyes, when they did glance up to meet his own, were gleaming with so many emotions he wondered how she did not explode. Her breath grew increasingly harsher until they were halfway down the narrow hallway. Severus halted, mind made up, and squeezed gently on her clammy palms. She blinked rapidly, looking up and around as if she were very confused.

Severus whispered, "You are pushing yourself too far. I will carry you the rest of the way. Tell me immediately if I hurt you."

There was an extended moment of silence where she did not let go of his hands. She was trembling and warm and alive. Her hair was a tangled and greasy mess. Her face was unhealthily pale and sweaty. Her body was weak and shaking, but her eyes were startlingly green. The color of sturdy trees in the spring time. Full of heat and life. In that moment, Severus knew that his existence could no longer be simply dedicated to saving her from Lord Voldemort. No, he could not rest unless he was with her. That unexplainable and desperately unnamed feeling finally made sense to him. He wanted to ensure that her life was a happy and fulfilled one. More than that, he wanted to be the reason she smiled. The reason she laughed. He didn't think he could be without her in his life any longer. Yet he knew he should leave her for another man of more worth.

He swept her into his arms as gingerly as he could, but she still squeezed her eyes shut. He offered a quiet apology and saw her clear look of confusion. He felt a wave of shame and deeply wondered if he had never apologized to her before. He certainly had inside of his own mind, but he doubted she would have ever expected the dark Potions Master to apologize about anything.

He toed the bathroom door open with his booted foot and gently set Holly on her tiny feet. He paused for only a second when he realized her toes were painted a deep red. A Gryffindor. Always a Gryffindor.

He glanced at two house-elves standing alert and ram-rod straight. He did not know the female's name, but knew the worried little male to be the annoying creature called Dobby. He stared pointedly at Dobby and coldly stated, "If any harm comes to her while she is in this bathroom, you will wish you were dead."

The elf's tennis-ball eyes widened and he nodded vigorously.

Severus nodded curtly and glanced at Holly's trembling frame. His voice lacked any aggression as he said, "I will be right outside the door if you have need of me."

He shut the wooden door with a quick snap and waited impatiently as the elves tended to Holly. He heard the occasional high-pitched voice from the elves, but neither sounded in distress. There were several splashes and one tired, quiet laugh from Holly. Eventually, Dobby stuck his head out of the bathroom and squeaked, "Holly is clean and decent now, sir."

Severus entered the room and immediately stopped. He blinked and raised a single eyebrow before dryly stating, "Did the three of you decide my walls were in need of a good scrubbing?"

Water was covering every inch of the stone floor and hefty walls. He was not surprised when he noted the smudges of toothpaste next to a new toothbrush he had demanded the house-elves bring along earlier in the night. The female house elf looked ashamed and greatly worried. Holly looked sheepish, but he could see the merriment dancing in her eyes. And that was enough reason for Severus to ignore his irritation at the evasion of his privacy and use of his personal rooms.

He said, "I expect this to be cleaned up."

"Oh, yes sir." Dobby hopped up and down, "Yes, Professor Snape, sir. Winky and I will clean good, good, sir."

Later in the evening, he had Holly on a fresh set of bed linens. She was having difficulty sitting up, so he held the majority of her weight by her shoulders and worked on healing the last few lacerations on her now bare back. He thoroughly ignored the smooth feeling of her skin, so focused was he on ending her discomfort. His throat felt raw by the time he had finished chanting, so he lowered her t-shirt and gulped down a cup of water before bringing a second cup to Holly.

She had eased herself into a lying position and was now glancing curiously around the room. She croaked, "Is…this…yo…" She coughed horribly and the only sign of worry from Severus was a flashing emotion in his dark eyes.

He held out the cup and watched as she halfway sat up and drank deeply. Minutes passed before he quietly said, "This is my personal quarters. You were quite injured and I believe Madam Pomfrey would not have been able to aid you as efficiently or as quickly as I have."

He watched sharply as she blinked before slowly lowering herself. He saw the relieved expression play across her face as she sunk into a mound of soft pillows. He stated, "You must rest. When you wake, I will call to Headmaster Dumbledore and we will discuss moving you into the Hospital Wing."

He moved toward the small kitchenette and began to rifle through his personal stock of tea when he heard Holly's croaking voice. He felt a flash of irritation, but it was drowned out by worry as he swiftly made his way to her bedside. Her eyes were bright, despite the heaviness of her eyelids. She mumbled brokenly, "St…Stay…please…Stay."

A curious warmth burst through his chest. It was familiar, yet achingly painful and happy in equal measures. He reached out, touched the crown of her head and said, "I will not leave my quarters until you do, Holly."

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AN: _Thank you for reading! The story had some tender filler parts to showcase Severus's slowly changing thoughts. Now, things will begin to pick up. Reviewer 150 and 155 will get a Sneak Peek Teaser!_


	43. Chapter 43

**AN:** _Hello, readers. I hope you enjoy…I have a feeling you will;)_

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Nearly three days more passed by with this pattern. Holly would wake with jolting panic and fight restlessly with sleep, silently conveying that she did not want Severus to leave her side. Nervous and observant green glances let him know that she was worried he would leave her alone. The mere thought of _why_ she was scared to be alone was enough to make his hands shake with repressed rage. Albus had finally insisted on Holly being brought to the Hospital Wing, so by day five Severus had little choice in the matter.

He contemplated arguing with the old man, but decided Holly's friends, and likely the entire school, were anxious and too curious about Holly's sudden disappearances from social activities. Severus was not surprised when he found numerous curious expressions and whispering centered around his own five day disappearances. Now, he was regretting not resurfacing from his chambers and eating an evening meal in the Great Hall once or twice. He should have taught a few of his classes in between checking on Holly's condition instead of letting Dumbledore take his place. Even dunderhead students would notice the monstrous Potions Master missing class for numerous periods.

Severus let out a quiet sigh while walking toward the Hospital Wing. It was well past students' curfew, but he could see Flitwick patrolling just down the next corridor. He skirted by silently and without detection. The doors to the Wing were wide open now and he could just see the flickering light of orange flames. When he entered the room his footfalls became softer and softer. He stuck to the shadows slinking along the wall and watched.

The Hospital Wing was extremely long and fairly wide with fifteen beds lining each side, both left and right. Holly had been hidden behind a portable set of curtains during the daylight hours, which was a measure that Severus found ridiculous. Students had made a point to track up and down this particular corridor in hopes of glimpsing the famous Girl Who Lived. Poppy thought hiding Holly was a preferable idea, but Severus knew better.

Holly didn't want to be hidden. He could tell by the sorrow in her eyes every evening that he came to her bedside to inspect her healing rate. He wasn't completely certain, but he thought she wished to be back in Gryffindor Common Room with her friends. Weasley and Granger. He had a brief moment of admiration for the both of them. They had stood brave and true in the face of catastrophe. In exasperation, he realized Holly's best friends were just as foolish as she was.

And he respected them both even if they didn't know it. Nonetheless, Ronald Weasley was still one of the biggest dunderheads he had ever known.

He heard a yelp of pain and jolted into action. He was halfway across the room before his mind realized he had even moved. His voice was as cold as ice as he said, "I can handle her examination from here, Poppy."

The older woman's hands froze. She turned and eyed Severus for a long moment before slowly handing him a thick pile of gauze. Without a word, she crossed the Wing and closed herself inside her office.

Severus took his time before meeting those emerald eyes. He gestured with his hand while never breaking eye contact. He felt a stirring deep inside himself, one that he was not at all comfortable with, when he realized his stare always seemed to put Holly into a chaotic daze. It took an extended moment before she slowly held out her hand. Severus pressed his lips into a thin line while wrapping up her swollen fingers.

He spoke evenly despite his anger. "What has happened to your fingers?"

Her voice was slow and raspy as she said, "I was practicing with my wand today."

When his stare turned hard, Holly bit her bottom lip and mumbled, "I have to or I will fail my Charms exam at the end of the year."

He quietly said, "You will not have to worry about your exams if you end up with only one arm."

She swallowed and winced before whispering, "I have missed a week of school. I'm behind in everything and my marks are dropping fast."

He set her bandaged hand on the edge of the bed before meeting her eyes once again. She was biting fitfully at her bottom lip and he had a fleeting moment of lust, in which he saw a lightning flash of their one and only kiss, before he stood up and paced the length of her bed.

He asked, "Which classes are causing the most difficulty?"  
"Mostly Transfigurations and Charms, but I'm going to fail your class without a doubt."

His head turned sharply and he demanded, "What makes you say that?"

Holly shrugged her shoulders, winced heavily and mumbled too lowly for him to hear. He snapped, "Speak up."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he sighed and abruptly sat in the chair by her bedside. He said, "Do not speak if your throat is causing abundant pain."

She shook her head and he was very nearly mesmerized by the movement. He forced his eyes away from her slender neck and silky hair. He focused on her jeweled eyes while she whispered, "The Potions are too advanced for me. Hermione has spent hours tutoring me after each class."

Severus said, "I will offer further tutoring for you. During the summer, if you wish, and perhaps on weekend afternoons during term."

Holly blinked repeatedly before slowly nodding her acceptance. They silently stared at one another and he could feel the pressure building in his chest. As time stretched on, neither looked away. The silence was deafening as if screaming at him to open his mouth and simply _speak to her._ He had weighed options carefully and endlessly for the past week. Hell, for the past fortnight. Possibly even the past year. He did not know what was right, but he did know what _felt_ right.

"Holly…" His voice was deep and quiet, "I need you to realize how badly…"

He took a deep breath, refusing to release his gaze from hers. He said, "I was far more worried than I ever thought I could have been when Miss Granger came running into my office."

The words fell from his lips quietly and they sounded like a desperate confession to Holly's awestruck ears. "I have lied to you. I have watched you grow and I disliked you for reasons I would be ashamed to admit. I did not expect for my dislike to grow into feelings such as the ones I harbor now. There is a plethora of things I have done for the greater good of this world, but I refuse to take the higher road this time."

There was a single pause as Holly maneuvered slightly and stretched out her hand slowly. Inch by inch, she reached for his hand. He did not move when she intertwined their fingers together. He saw her wince at the pain in her swollen digits, but still maintained a light hold. He said, "I am a selfish man. I am not an easy man or an annoyingly happy one. You must know this."

"I don't care." Her voice was croaky and her tone was defiant.

He felt his lips twitch and his heart pound as he stated, "I am a Slytherin. I fight underhanded to get what I please. I am mean and cruel when needed. You hate this about me."

She shook her head before squeezing his hand. He watched sweat bead on her forehead from the pain of such an action. She whispered, "You are brave. You do what you have to. The cruelty is…just an act of unhappiness."

His throat felt dry as his mind echoed one word. _Brave, brave, brave._ He said, "This will not change. I am old and set into my ways. I am an ill-tempered man."

He could feel the tremble in her swollen fingers as she looked at him and asked, "Are you telling me this because you're going to…leave me?"

He felt as if he couldn't breathe as he abruptly said, "No. I will not leave you."

He watched as her expression melted into one of determination before she slowly asked, "What if I told you I wanted you still…?"

Severus took a shallow breath, never breaking his gaze from hers. "Then, you could have me."

The slow pumping of Holly's heart allowed warmth to flood through her entire body. She had to suck in a deep breath through her mouth and let it out slowly. There was an extended moment where she was so dizzy that the room spun in blurs of color. She heard a deep whisper of her name and felt heat strike through her body. His voice brought clarity.

She blinked and the room came back into focus. She stared at his ebony eyes before a soft smile spread across her face. She felt the tears come as unstoppable as a hurricane. They were few, but they were strong and raw. She felt him move and then felt his thumb wiping gently across her cheeks.

Her eyes were closed now and she savored the touch of his skin to her own. She felt her head touch the softness of the pillows. He whispered, "I will be back at dinner time tomorrow. Do not worry; I am here."

She drifted into sleep like an innocent child would in the arms of its mother.

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 **AN:** _A one word review of your reaction would be wonderful…:)_


	44. Chapter 44

**AN:** I _apologize for the delay, but I am a college student with academic demands. Thank you for all of the reviews and readers! I enjoy your interest so much._

Holly figured she was a bit too excited about the night-time walk to Professor Dumbledore's office. She was walking at a much slower pace than usual and had to stop at the end of every corridor to suck in great, gasping breaths. She could deal with her weak lungs and her wheezy coughs, but she disliked the silent escorts beside her. Madam Pomfrey muttered under her breath, "Ridiculous exertion…Getting old, he is…Don't know what Dumbledore is thinking…"

Severus was nearby, quiet and nearly blending in with the shadows. She wasn't sure how she should feel around him, but the nervous churning in her gut made her both excited and embarrassed. Her embarrassment was tenfold due to her echoing coughs. When Madam Pomfrey offered an arm for support, Holly waved her away and muttered, "I can do it myself."  
She struggled through and managed to finally make it to the majestic statue. Severus stepped forward, brushed her elbow to steady her stance, and murmured words too soft for anybody else to hear. The statue sprung aside and he motioned soundlessly at Holly. She stepped forward and locked her knees in place while spots danced within her eye sight. Faintly, she heard Severus dismiss Madam Pomfrey and then they were alone for the first time since his confession the night before.

Holly took a slow breath through her nose, but it did little to steady her shaky stance. She felt the stone steps begin their long ascent, but she was sure the dizziness she felt was from Severus's close proximity and not the spinning stairs. Still, she felt much better once they stepped into Dumbledore's office. She took an unsure step forward and nearly fell, but a firm grip on her left arm steadied her once more.

She gave a strangled nod without meeting Severus's dark eyes. She nearly sighed with relief when she heard Dumbledore's kind voice greet them. "Hello, my dear. And Severus. Please, take a seat. I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see you awake and alert."

Holly stumbled forward and plopped into the big, squishy chair beside Dumbledore's grand desk. Those twinkling blue eyes and kind smile eased a tightness in Holly's chest that she hadn't even noticed before now. Dumbledore held out a jar and offered lemon drops, which Holly took out of politeness. She sucked on the sour candy and made a funny expression, which made Dumbledore let out a sparkling laugh. He stated, "I have been told lemon drops are an acquired taste."

He turned his blue eyes to Severus and asked numerous questions about Holly's health. She tuned in and out of that boring conversation, mostly sucking on her lemon drop and catching her breath. Several minutes passed before Holly heard a statement that caught her full attention.

"If you could, Severus," Dumbledore said, "Allow me a few moments to discuss private matters with young Holly."

Holly's head snapped toward Severus and she watched with attentive eyes. The man wore no expression, but his lips tightened at the corners by the smallest degree. His dark eyes remained as fathomless as usual, but his sharp chin went up by just half an inch. He was annoyed, of that Holly was sure. He met and held her eyes for an extended moment before he curtly nodded and strode from the room. The familiar sound of his billowing robes made her smile slightly.

She looked back and felt a jolt of something unexplainable. This was an elusive feeling that usually came when she was in the presence of Albus Dumbledore. It wasn't quite comfortable, but neither was it an uncomfortable feeling. It was like staring into the eyes of the one person you never wanted to disappoint and knowing that you would inevitably disappoint him anyway. Holly wondered if other kids felt the same warmth with the ones they didn't want to disappoint. She also wondered if they felt the same amount of cold creeping up their backs when they looked around and realized those disappointments were coming forward faster and faster.

She gulped and broke the long pause by saying, "The locket is a horcrux, right, sir? It is what we are after?"

The older wizard offered a brief smile before saying, "It is, my child. You did magnificently."

Weight slipped off of her shoulders and she felt her sore body relax. She felt grim satisfaction as she asked, "Have you destroyed it, sir?"

Dumbledore shook his head and said, "It will be taken care of in time."  
Holly blinked, digested the information and suddenly remembered a fleeting and blurry memory. She gasped and said, "Sir! A cup. Voldemort made a golden cup into a horcrux."

The man's eyes were sharp and at odds with his calm voice as he asked, "Do you know where it is, Holly?"

She shook her head quickly and rambled excitedly, "The vision was too quick, but I remember his hand around the cup. It was a golden chalice of sorts."

"A chalice, you say?" Dumbledore whispered quietly to himself before saying, "May I ask when you had this vision?"

"The night that I went for the locket." She replied, "You were gone and Voldemort might have felt me entering his mind, so I had to get to the locket."

There was a long moment of silence before Dumbledore asked, "Do you believe he had access to your mind, my girl?"

Slowly, Holly shook her head. "No, sir. If he had known, he would have gone to the cave instantly, right? He would have gone straight for the locket. To protect it."

Dumbledore nodded and said, "You have done very well, Holly. However, I must ask you not to put yourself into harm's way again. If you have any pain in your scar, if there are any situations that occur, I give you full permission to find me immediately without need of informing my faculty."

Holly nodded once more.

Dumbledore's blue eyes were as steady as an iron-clad mountain. His lips turned up into a gentle smile as he said, "I am afraid I must ask even more of you than before."

Holly sat up straighter in her chair. Her breathing was no longer labored and she felt steadier knowing that progress was being made.

She asked, "What do you need, sir?"

"I wish to keep our hunt for horcruxes a necessary secret from Severus."

Her heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach. She swallowed silently.

Dumbledore slowly explained, "This is war, my girl, and I have full confidence that we can end this if you are on our side. You are linked to Tom through the scar on your forehead. He marked you as his equal that fateful night in October. You have thwarted him and lived to tell about it unlike all others. Because of this, I believe you are the best chance we have at destroying horcruxes and Voldemort himself. Severus is important to this war and has always been on my side, but he has become profoundly protective of you. If he were to know that you and I were in search of such Dark Magic, he would use whatever means necessary to make sure you remained safe."

Dumbledore gave Holly a look that shot straight through her before quietly saying, "He would even combat his magic against my own to guarantee your safety, if he felt that is what needed to be done."

Holly let out a gasp and stuttered, "S-Sir, no. He wouldn't do that."

Dumbledore gave the strangest smile and softly said, "Ah, but he would, my girl. I know Severus much better, and for much longer, than you. He would die for you. He would kill for you. Think of the way he fought during the Battle of the Ministry. Think of every way he subtly kept you safe from Dolores Umbridge."

Holly's heart was hammering in her chest and the weight that had slipped away from her shoulders was back with full force. She felt a cold sweat breaking out across her forehead and she bent her head, allowing her eyes to stare blankly at the floor. She wanted to block Dumbledore's voice out, but couldn't move.

"Do you remember the fire while you were underwater in the cave?"

Holly felt dizzy as she nodded and crossed her arms over her stomach. The older wizard patiently explained, "That was Fiendfyre. It is an extremely powerful and unpredictable branch of Dark Magic. Most do not have a magical core strong enough to conjure Fiendfyre, much less control it. Severus is the only wizard I know of that has managed to successfully conjure Fiendfyre underwater."

Holly slowly looked up and asked roughly, "Why are you telling me this, sir?"

Dumbledore's face was oddly somber as he replied, "Severus protects what he cares for with a ferocity and loyalty beyond mortal men. You know this, my girl, and I am only here to remind you. I am here to help you see why it would be a danger to him, and to the outcome of this war, if he were to stop us from finding and destroying horcruxes."

Holly nodded, but her head felt as if were hollow. She whispered, "I won't tell him about this, sir. I will keep it a secret."  
Dumbledore gave a wistful smile and said, "Good girl. Severus is under the impression that the locket is the only horcrux and I wish to keep it that way."

Holly nodded once more before slowly climbing to her feet. Her heart was thudding painfully as she asked, "Are we done now, sir?"

"Yes, my girl." Dumbledore smiled and his blue eyes twinkled once more. He chuckled, "I daresay you are well enough to return to your classes starting tomorrow. I will inform your teachers that you are to be given extra time to walk to and from each classroom."

Holly nodded blankly before leaving the office. It wasn't until she was safely tucked into her bed in the Gryffindor dormitories that she realized Dumbledore's last laugh hadn't filled her with warmth as it usually did.

The next week passed in a surreal, yet painful way. Most of her time was taken up by stressful classroom adventures and challenging walks across the castle. Her evenings were spent analyzing unbelievable amounts of homework while spending Tuesday and Thursday observing D.A. meetings from the sidelines. The curious questions and jovial greetings were met with deaf ears. Holly couldn't halt the ever-pressing questions regarding Voldemort. Every face she saw made hot tears sting the back of her eyelids. She couldn't help but wonder how many people Voldemort would torture, enslave, and kill before he died. Could she really kill him? She didn't see how.

The anxiety would increase to unmanageable levels by nightfall. She would toss and turn fitfully in bed. When she did finally fall asleep, she would wake in cold sweats. Half the time she felt bony fingers dragging her to a cold, watery grave. The other half of the time she stared into the eyes of pure evil and listened to its high-pitched laughter as green light took her last breath. Friday evening eventually came and Holly found herself sitting beside Hermione and Ron. Both were looking almost as tired as she was. Both were in better spirits, though, so she was glad for their sake.

"Try a bit of creamed potatoes, Holiday." Ron scooped up a large heap and splattered it on Holly's empty plate. She offered a tired smile and mindlessly spooned glops into her mouth. She was sipping on a glass of Pumpkin juice Hermione had poured for her when Hedwig came swooping down from the rafters. Holly felt a faint stirring of joy at seeing her beautiful snowy owl in flight. Fleetingly, Holly wondered how free it must feel to be a bird.

"Hey, Hedwig." She murmured as the owl landed. She untied the letter from around the owl's delicate leg and softly pet Hedwig's tail feathers. She unrolled the parchment as Hedwig ate tiny bites of potatoes off of nearby plates. The letter was fairly short and smudged, but Holly felt the first ray of light shine through. The letter read: _Holly, we wished so badly to see you before we left. Dumbledore has assured us repeatedly that you are healing perfectly well. Of course, we want to hear all about this ridiculous adventure when we return. We have finished what was asked of us and are on the journey back. Unsafe to say more. With love. Snuffles and Moony._

The signatures on the letter were somehow the last in a very long line of building blocks. Holly abruptly stood and briskly made her way out of the Great Hall. She was just coming down the stone steps when hot tears began to fall. She inhaled, but her throat was tight and still healing; she let out a rough sob. With shaking hands, Holly folded the letter and carefully slipped it into the pocket of her robes. She wiped at the tears, but more only took their place. She walked blindly, unsure of where to go.

She rounded the corner, making her way out to a courtyard hardly used during the winter months. The first snow fall had happened two days before and a fine powder about an inch thick was lining all still objects. She crossed the courtyard and plopped down in a darkened corner. She took a breath of the crisp air and wiped at the stinging tears. Blinking rapidly, she looked up at the endlessly dark sky. The moon was just a sliver of silvery-white; she wondered how Remus had felt after the last full moon. What were he and Sirius doing? Why was it a secret? Were they safe wherever they were? What would happen to them if they weren't safe?

She pulled her knees up to her chest and tucked her head as far underneath her cloak as she could. The sharp air bit and nipped at her as she sniffled quietly. Tears came fewer and fewer as she fought away swirling, silent questions. Sometime later, she heard the faint sound of echoing laughter and thudding footsteps. Still, she never moved. She had no desire to be surrounded by kids acting carefree. Laughing. Smiling and joking. Worrying about exams and marks. A day from now, a month from now, a year from now, they could all be dead. Would Voldemort spare the students of Hogwarts? The best of the magical future?

Choking on another sob, Holly squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She heard no noise for quite a while until she felt a sudden unease in her stomach. She took a deep breath, held it, and listened. Her folded hand slowly crept toward her pocketed wand. Inch by inch, she pulled her wand from underneath her robe. Her heart was thumping as she abruptly jumped up and harshly shouted, _"Reveal."_

The shadows began to recede rapidly, but a flashing blue light deflected her spell. She held her ground, mouth halfway open in preparation to cast a defensive spell, yet all irritation fled when Severus stepped out of the shadows with a raised eyebrow. His black eyes raked across Holly's figure in an intense way. Holly knew he was automatically calculating the situation. That was a very Severus thing to do.

She lowered her wand as he stated, "I see that Flitwick has managed to properly teach you a Revealing Charm."

Holly felt awkward and entirely too aware of her tear-stained face. She pocketed her wand and mumbled, "I doubt my casting is all that great."

"On the contrary…" Severus remarked quietly.

"I have managed to catch up on my Charms assignments."

Severus took measured steps forward and asked, "Why are you sitting outside by yourself?"

She wondered if he was purposely not mentioning the tears in her eyes. She sniffled and mumbled, "I thought a little air would do me good."

He tilted his head just slightly and said, "You have not been allowed to fly."

Holly blinked. She muttered, "Uh, what?"

His face showed annoyance as he curtly explained, "Flying. You wish to fly."

Holly blinked again and realized that he was right. In times of stress, flying was always her reliever. There was nothing that came as easily and as peacefully to her as flying on a broomstick. She glanced up at the night sky once more and watched stars shine brightly. She whispered, "Yes. I guess you are right."

"Come with me, Miss-" He stopped abruptly before repeating, "Come with me, Holly. I will do my best to allow a slower pace due to your injuries."

No other thought crossed her mind except to follow him. Holly didn't know much of anything, but she did know that if Severus told her to follow, she would follow. Always. She immediately noticed that he did shorten his long-legged stride to match her pace. The silence was comfortable, although Holly grew more and more curious as the minutes passed. The corridors were empty of students and chilly drafts were blowing through the ground-level of the castle. Severus raised his wand into the air as they finally came onto the open grounds. He waved and cast a wordless spell, but Holly saw no sparks, flames, lights, or lightening.

Frowning, she continued to follow him until they skirted across the lower grounds. It took another minute before she questioned, "Are we heading toward the Pitch?"

She swore she saw the slight twitch of his lips, as if he might smile, before she was distracted by a familiar whistling sound. She turned around and blinked as a broomstick came to a standstill, waist high, beside her. The broomstick was immaculately clean and sleek. A Firebolt. Her Firebolt. She turned to him and openly stared. The silence stretched onward until Severus raised an arm and gestured to the shadowy field behind him. He quietly said, "I give you permission to fly."

Instinctively, Holly gripped the handle. She kept looking at him as she murmured, "What about…?"

"Your injuries are no longer grave." He replied evenly, "A simple ride around a Quidditch Pitch will not cause any foreseeable problems."

Her heart lunged in her chest as she slowly mounted the broom. Hovering inches above the grass, she gave him a smile. It was the first genuine smile he had seen on her face in a week. She glanced at the darkness above and below. She felt the coldness seeping into her bones.

"Will you stay?" She asked.

His deep voice was even and steadied her as nothing else could. "Yes. I will watch from here. I will signal when it is time to retire to the castle."

With anticipation bubbling within her stomach, Holly shot off at speed which made Severus worry. He stood where he was, silent. The temptation to watch her fly was nearly overwhelming, but he resisted and scouted the grounds for danger. Many minutes passed while he used all his senses to search for sight, sound, smell, or magical indications. Satisfied, Severus allowed his gaze to finally find her.

She was beautiful. Her hair was whipping behind her like a glossy banner of satin. Her silhouette was slim and tiny, yet he knew those hands and body were stronger than most. Her speed was incredible; none her age could fly so fast or so well. Severus was positive that it was taking all of her will power not to swoop, dive, plummet, loop about, or otherwise perform tricks. Holly was a Gryffindor at heart and did not mind showing off her talents or taking unwise risks. For whatever reason, she decided to forego risks tonight.

He watched her zoom about for another ten minutes before lighting his wand up with a silent _Lumos._ She finished her final lap before lazily descending. When she landed, Severus took a moment, only a moment, to simply look at her. Her willowy build was stunning in the soft glow of his wand. Her hair was windblown and tangled, yet it captured his attention. Her lips were redder than usual, perhaps chapped and irritated from the cold air. He had a weak second while thinking of those lips before he abruptly turned away and demanded, "Let us return to the castle. It is much too cold for you out here."  
She followed at his heels and he forced himself to walk slower for her benefit. He mentally told himself there was no need, but he walked her all the way to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She looked nervous now, which Severus found both amusing and painfully uncomfortable. He murmured, "Goodnight. I will speak with Headmaster Dumbledore, so you may be allotted supervised times to fly."

Holly blinked and Severus was instantly captured by her emerald eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, but he was fairly sure that was due to the cold. Holly asked, "Do you have time to help me with our recent assignment this weekend?"  
Severus thought of the dozens of essays waiting to be graded and the faculty meeting tomorrow afternoon. He said, "Yes. Come by my classroom after lunch."

The smile she gave him was enough to cancel out any annoyance he felt toward the dreaded faculty meeting. As he walked off, Holly was absolutely sure she had seen his lips twitch into a near smile.

 **AN** : _I would love to hear from each of you. Thank you._


	45. Chapter 45

**AN:** _I apologize for the big delay. I will, as of right now, update every_ _Saturday._ _Also, I am currently writing Part Four of this story and it is certainly crazy. I cannot wait for you to read the ending I am working on. But that is for later down the road! Thank you and enjoy…I will add another short chapter in the next few days._

 _Perhaps I recommend re-reading the last chapter since the delay has been so long ago? *Cringes* I am sorry._

* * *

The next morning could not have come quicker for Holly. She was eager to see Severus and nervous because they would be alone. In his classroom. His dungeons. His domain. As odd as it sounded, Holly usually felt at ease if she was surrounded by his presence. She ate breakfast beside Hermione and Ron, talking happily about the next Quidditch match set for the following month and trying to ignore the curious glances from various classmates. Ron caught a group of Ravenclaws giving Holly another set of curious looks. He sighed hotly and said, "Oy! Mind your own business. If she wanted you to know why she skived out on a week of classes, she would let you know. Put your big noses down."

Holly giggled while Hermione rolled her eyes and attempted not to smile. Ron offered a grin and asked, "When will you be healed up enough to practice?"

Holly blissfully thought of the night before and said, "I think some of the teachers planned on asking Dumbledore today if I could practice while being watched."

Ron grinned again and said, "We can count on McGonagall's blood thirsty like for Quidditch to come through for Gryffindor, can we not?"

Holly just smiled and let Ron think that McGonagall was the one pushing for her spot on the Pitch once more. She imagined what Ron's face would look like if he knew Severus had personally brought her to the Pitch and kept her safe while she flew about. That thought kept her amused throughout the morning, even their hour long studying session in the library did not bring her mood lower. By the time they left the library, Ron was groaning and Hermione was exasperated. Ron huffed, "I won't be writing on another scrap of parchment until Monday. I mean it, 'Mione."

Hermione sighed and said, "If you wish to fail Transfigurations that is fine by me, Ronald. You will disappoint your parents and Professor McGonagall, though."

Holly left them to argue in the common-room while she went to her dormitory and gathered her Potion supplies. She was shrinking her cauldron to slip into her pocket and coming down the staircase when Ron asked, "Where are you going?"

Holly glanced nervously at Hermione's worried, yet curious expression. Ron repeated his question, so Holly focused wholly on him and said, "Professor Snape has asked me to do a private Potions lesson. I am quite behind with his curriculum since I have been in the Hospital Wing."

Ron rolled his eyes and huffed, "He is such a git."

For once, Holly did not correct him. She was so relieved he wasn't suspicious that she bid them both a quick goodbye and darted out of the common-room. She passed several Slytherins on her way to the dungeons, but most of them only sneered. She was feeling relieved that she hadn't run into Draco Malfoy lately when, quite literally out of nowhere, she ran into a hard figure that came barreling around the corridor corner.

"Ow!" She yelped and stumbled backward. Her textbook dropped to the floor and an echoing _smack_ could be heard all around. Rubbing her still sore shoulders, she looked up and froze for a second. She thought, _my luck really is terrible._

Draco Malfoy stood tall with fair blonde hair that was immaculately styled. His uniform was pressed tightly and unrumpled. The sneer on his face was so ugly that she wished desperately she knew a spell that would freeze that expression onto his face for the rest of his miserable life.

"Watch where you're going, Potter." Malfoy spat coldly.

"Me!?" She snarled hotly, "You are the one running around corridors."

"I am sure you were the one who was running, Potter." He huffed superiorly, "Where are your glasses, Four-Eyes? Can't you see a person when they are right in front of you?"

"I don't see a person anywhere." Holly ground out between teeth pressed tightly together. "All I see is a ferret."

She watched the irritation on Malfoy's face become full-blown anger. He took a step forward and snarled, "You better watch that pretty mouth, Potter, or you might find those lips hit with a nasty hex."

Holly snorted, yanking her wand from her pocket and challenging him by saying, "I dare you."

Malfoy pulled his own wand from his pants pocket and twirled it lazily. He gave a smile as cold as ice and asked, "Fancy a duel?"

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Holly hissed, "I think we both know who would win."

Malfoy sneered, "There is only one way to find out."

Holly was already stepping back, textbook and supplies forgotten on the corridor floor, and Malfoy did the same. Her wand was held at the ready and a smirk was lighting up her lips. If Malfoy wanted to play, then she was more than willing. Malfoy was standing tall and straight, but he did not move. A second passed and she saw his wand-arm twitch. Her mind was racing, a few good hexes at the ready.

"This is completely unsurprising." A deep voice drawled from behind them.

Holly felt her tense shoulders sag with slight disappointment, but she never took her eyes from her enemy. Severus came to stand between them both and his voice was colder than anyone else. "Desist this pigheadedness. Now."

Holly did not lower her wand, but waited until Malfoy did first. Only then did she carefully pocket her wand. Severus snapped, "What is the meaning of yet another predictable fight between the two of you?"

Holly jerked her head up higher and glared at Malfoy.

Malfoy politely said, "She came running down the corridor and collided with me. She was angry and pulled her wand."

"That is absolute crap!" Holly exclaimed, _"You_ ran into me and _you_ were the one asking for a go at me. You are the biggest lair I have ever met."

"Shut up." Severus snarled, "Both of you. Follow me and stay quiet."

Holly picked up her supplies. Both trailed behind Severus and shot glares at one another constantly. Holly forced herself to look away from Malfoy's pointy face as Severus ushered them into his classroom. She tried not to jump as he slammed his classroom door shut.

He prowled across the length of the room as Malfoy and Holly stood frozen. Eventually, Severus whirled around and his eyes glittered with emotion that she didn't quite understand. He hissed, "Do either of you realize how idiotic your behavior is? You two are fighting in the corridors like first years with petty grudges. Now is not the time for such situations. Do either of you stop and think of what must be done? Of what is on the line as you sit by and squabble?"

Holly wasn't sure what he was talking about. He must have realized she was confused because he sighed hotly and slammed his palm down on the surface of a nearby desk. His eyes, glittering like knife points in the dark, struck her hard. His voice was just a whisper as he said, "There is a war going on. Both of you know this. Both of you are closer to this war than most other students at this school. There is a very small chance any of us will make it out alive. I can you tell you there will be an even lesser chance if we do not work together against the Dark's forces."

It was as if a bomb had suddenly gone off inside of Holly's head. She gasped and asked in disbelief, "Him? You are telling me _Malfoy_ is on our side?"

"Yes." Severus snapped, "Draco is under my protection and if his loyalty to the Light is questioned, then so is my own."

Holly gulped down any insults she had toward Malfoy when she realized just how angry Severus was. She nodded once and glanced at the boy in question. His hands were clasped behind his back and he was staring straight ahead, in a blank way. She felt the safe-guard of anger lessen when she noticed the boy's hands were shaking. She turned back to Severus and muttered, "You trust him. Does Dumbledore?"

Those black eyes flared hotly before he hissed, "Is my word not enough, Potter?"

She closed her eyes and felt as if the war was waging inside of her. She opened her eyes and said, "Yes. Your word is enough."

Severus dismissed them both, seemingly uncaring to the previous promise to Holly. She walked back to the Gryffindor common-room in a daze. She did not taunt Malfoy as he walked beside her, making his way to the library. She ignored him just as he ignored her. She lay in bed that night, after hours of debating the situation with her friends, and wondered what was going on with Draco Malfoy. Why had Severus been so angry over the both of them fighting? Had he not seen them fighting throughout their entire school careers? Did Dumbledore trust Malfoy? Was he really on their side? Why did Severus trust that slimy ferret? His father was a Death Eater!

Holly rolled over in bed and sighed heavily. Severus had been a Death Eater. A long time ago when he was only a couple years older than she was now. Had the teenage Severus been threatened into joining Voldemort or had he willingly done so? And what of Lucius Malfoy? He was a Death Eater. Holly had too much evidence of Malfoys being in league with Voldemort to think otherwise. But did that mean his son was a Death Eater as well? Severus had seemed so sure that stupid Malfoy Junior was not Dark.

It was nearly four in the morning by the time Holly drifted into a restless sleep. Her last thought before sleep claimed her was that she lied to Severus. When it came to Draco Malfoy, Severus's word was not enough.

* * *

 **AN:** _I apologize again for the month-long delay. School will be out for summer vacation in about a month and a half, so I promise chapters will be more frequent then._

 **Just tidbits for anybody who is curious:** _Draco's character has been hinted at briefly throughout the story, possibly in ways that have gone unnoticed. Nonetheless, Draco plays an important role in this story just as I previously explained that Sirius does too._


	46. Chapter 46

**AN:** _…Hello. Do I have any readers left? I am unsure, but I am sure that I am not a quitter. It has been four months since I posted on this site, mostly for personal reasons regarding this story. There is a massive scene coming up fairly soon in the plotline and I had the most difficulty with it. Every proof-reading person who read this scene found it lacking. After numerous rewrites, I felt negative. Was I really worth a damn as a writer? Maybe I was not because I did not have as many readers as expected to begin with. On my other story, I had thousands. On this story, I have a little over 500. Then, I mentally slapped myself and demanded to stop throwing a Pity Party. The bottom line is: I love to write. I have written for my entire life and I will continue to do so. If I have one reader who enjoys my story, then it was worth everything. Thank you and enjoy._

* * *

Holly spent the next several weeks actively making D.A. meetings even longer and more grueling, but the majority of students just couldn't grasp more than basic concepts. She was at her wits end, but she kept trying. Restless nights and faceless blank eyes and green light as bodies of students dropped all around her was enough to keep Holly harshly pushing all participating in D.A. meetings. Her schooling did not seem as important as preparing innocent people for war, so she continued to post-pone most of her essays and projects. She was barely passing Transfigurations with average marks, but luckily she had managed to overcome her trouble in Charms.

Quidditch was a welcome stress-reliever and, despite his irritation at her fight with Malfoy, Severus did speak to Dumbledore and grant Holly access to fly once again. Every weekend, instead of doing necessary homework, she would fly around the Pitch and practice maneuvers with her team. It was now the morning of Gryffindor's second match. They were playing against Ravenclaw and Holly was fairly sure they could easily beat their opposing team.

She, Ron, and Ginny showed up in the Great Hall quite early. They were halfway through a platter of sausages and juice when Hermione and Neville showed up with the rest of the Gryffindor team. Katie and Cormac were particularly loud, but Holly didn't mind. She engaged in a happy debate on tactics with Ron and Neville until Luna showed up at their table. Holly's eyes grew wide and she couldn't help but grin. The majority of the Great Hall, which had been filling with hundreds of students, grew oddly quiet.

Hermione politely greeted, "Good morning, Luna."

Having dealt with Luna's oddities numerous times, Holly was not surprised by Luna's strange sense of fashion. She smiled and asked, "Did you make that hat, Luna?"

Luna sat beside Holly and gently stroked the wild mane of lion hair on her personal Gryffindor hat. Luna gave a dreamy smile and said, "Yes. It took quite some time and I had to mend the fur twice because my fellow Ravenclaws kept trying to rip it apart."

"I can't imagine why…" Ron snorted into his cup of Pumpkin juice.

Holly smacked him in the arm and said, "I think it is great that you support Gryffindor, Luna. I like your hat."

Holly glared at Hermione and she quickly added, "Yes. The hat is quite…creative."

"You could sit with Hermione and me at the match, Luna." Neville offered.

Holly gave a soft smile at the awkward boy in front of her. He was extremely nice and oddly braver than most knew. Holly was sure there were few more loyal than Neville Longbottom. Dark thoughts of hopelessly wishing to protect her friends entered her mind, but she pushed such thoughts away. It seemed like no time before she and the team were marching their way downhill.

The match started rather quickly, but Holly wasn't worried. Gryffindor scored twenty points in the first sixty seconds. Holly circled high above the Pitch, searching pointedly for the golden snitch. She saw a brief flash closely to the stands, near the teachers' section. Darting downward, Holly's green eyes scanned below the crowd. The echoing sound of cheers entered her head, but she shook it off and focused wholeheartedly. She _knew_ she had seen a flash of shiny wings.

She heard an alarmed shout just a second before she heard a familiar, faint whistling. Instinctively, she gripped her broom handle and dropped down dramatically. She heard the crowd collectively gasp as she whirled upside down and turned sharply to the left to avoid a collision with a well-aimed Bludger. Cormac came swooping from underneath her and batted the ball away with all the grace of a rampaging Manticore. He called out, "Watch that pretty behind, Potter!"

Her jaw dropped in stunned silence. She hovered like an idiot and blushed deeply when she noticed how close both of them were to the teachers' seats. In fact, she was positive Severus and other teachers had heard the comment. Severus looked as if he smelled a foul substance and McGonagall had an ugly red blush growing on her cheeks. Dumbledore was chuckling merrily and patting McGonagall on the shoulder while eyeing Severus happily. She heard McGonagall call out, "Ten points from Gryffindor, McLaggen!"

He offered a handsome smile and took off across the Pitch. Holly blinked and sharply turned, putting as much distance between her and the stands as possible. She spent much time searching for the snitch. It took another five minutes, and one score for Ravenclaw, before Holly spotted the snitch. It was lazily flittering about by the teachers' seats once again. With a huff of annoyance, Holly bolted down in a spectacular nose-dive. She heard the roar of the excited crowd, but paid no attention. She dodged a speeding Bludger coming from the right, but had no time to properly dodge the second Bludger coming from the opposite direction. Attempting to turn sharply, Holly caught the second Bludger in the leg instead of the torso. The sickening crunching sound of broken bone echoed across the Pitch. She felt her stomach heave and white-hot pain stole her breath, so she could not scream.

Her broom dropped fifteen feet before she managed to sloppily fix her stance. Disoriented, she shot down again with only one goal on her mind. Catch the snitch. Just catch the snitch. As she came within five feet of it, the tiny ball zoomed off to the right. Holly leaned forward until her chest was brushing the broom handle. The Firebolt sped forward so quickly that Holly was only a blob of blurry color to those around her. Her leg felt as if a thousand needles were stabbing into her flesh and tears were beginning to make it difficult to see where she was going.

She saw another flash just inches in front of her. Stretching forward with one hand out, she closed her eyes and lunged. Her heart skipped a beat as her Firebolt abruptly slammed on its Automatic Brake charm. She flew forward, a raspy gasp leaving her throat, but she felt the cool metal clasped tightly in her fist. With her knees painfully squeezed around the broomstick, she began to lower herself to the ground. She was slumped over the broom with her heart pounding in her ears and her stomach rolling heavily. She swallowed continuously in a wordless, desperate attempt not to vomit. When her broom came inches above the grass, her legs collapsed from beneath her and she let out a gargled yelp.

Curling into a ball, she held up her right hand with the golden snitch. She heard cheers, but the pain was hot and raw and real. With every thud of her heart, she felt ripping pains in her leg. She inhaled deeply and let out a low moan. It seemed like a lifetime passed before she smelt oceans and forests.

"Severus…" She gasped, "Help me."

"I am here." She heard his low, soothing voice just inches from her face. She was suddenly shielded from the bright sun. She could smell him and feel his cool touch to her shoulders. He asked, "Can you drink?"

She nodded weakly, nose still pressed closely to the grass. With eyes shut tightly, she allowed him to roll her off. His palm went behind her head and lifted her into an acceptable angle. He pushed a vial to her lips and she drank quickly.

The liquid barely had time to hit her stomach before she felt a black blanket cover her, settling icy numbness over her injured leg. She mumbled, "I got the snitch."

"Yes." She heard his sharp voice, "You have caught the damned snitch. All these foolish and deadly stunts for a stupid game. You are such a Gryffindor."

She hummed under her breath as she was lifted from the ground. As if from far away, she could feel herself moving quickly. She muttered, "It makes me feel alive."

There was a long pause before he murmured, "Yes. We are addicted to what makes us feel alive, aren't we?"

The world seemed to gray around the edges before going black.

* * *

When she awoke, she groaned lowly and tried to move her arms, but they felt like heavy metal. Struggling, she pushed and scrambled until she was sitting up. Blinking rapidly, the room slowly came into view. The long, spacious room with high ceilings and countless white beds. Infirmary. How many times had she been here so far this year? It was become ridiculous.

"There you are, dearie." Madam Pomfrey came bustling forward and handed Holly a tall cup of cold water. Holly sipped gingerly and croaked, "My leg?"

"Busted up." Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, "That game is nothing but trouble!"

Holly rolled her eyes and mumbled, "My fault. I moved the wrong way."

"Sit down and stay still, Miss Potter." The mediwitch firmly said, "I have been mending bones in your leg for the past hour."

"Why can I not feel it?" Holly asked nervously.

"Professor Snape gave you a potent numbing potion." She explained approvingly, "And a good thing he did. I suspect you would have vomited a lot more if you had actually been conscious during the painful process of moving to the castle."  
Holly felt her heart drop like a stone as she moaned in embarrassment. She repeated, "Vomit?"

Madam Pomfrey gave a sympathetic smile and patted Holly on the shoulder before handing over a vial. Holly swallowed the liquid in one gulp and handed the vial back as Madam Pomfrey said, "You vomited as soon as your feet touched the ground, dearie. It is quite fine. Not your fault at all."

Her express was one of horror as she croaked, "S-S-Snape?"

This time Madam Pomfrey looked ill as she hesitantly said, "He carried you from the Pitch with Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall. I am afraid you barely missed vomiting on his cloak."

Holly flopped down onto the bed and covered her palms across her face. Her face was hot with a fresh blush as she muttered, "Oh no…"

She had very little time to digest this embarrassing information before she was crowded by friends and teammates. Madam Pomfrey left in exasperation, telling the students that they had only ten minutes to visit.

"You were great, Holly!" Katie shouted.

"Yes, that catch was lightning fast." Ron commented with a beaming grin.

Cormac asked, "Did you see how many times I saved you from Bludgers?"

Ron snorted and said, "Shut up, McLaggen."

Jimmy Peakes said, "I think you did the best you could with those two Bludgers coming at you that way, Holly."

Hermione asked, "How are you feeling?"

Holly opened her mouth to comment, but Severus came striding into the room. His glare was magnificent and his stance was one of absolute control. There was a beat of silence in which his glittering, black eyes pinned each person to their spot. He barked, "Well, is this a Hospital Wing or a Quidditch Pitch? Get out."

Ron, Cormac, and Jimmy were muttering hotly under their breath, but they shuffled out of the room. Katie offered a smile before leaving. Hermione quickly turned to Holly and gave her a soft hug. She leaned closely and whispered, "We must talk when you are feeling better…"

Then Severus and Holly were alone.

She blinked, blushing terribly, and blurted, "I am _so_ sorry for almost puking on you."

His face remained blank as he stated, "I have endured worse."

She blinked again and mumbled stupidly, "Oh…"

He came forward, handed her a potion vial and said, "Drink this now."

She obeyed, but was still irritated at his demanding tone. A second passed before the thrumming pain in her leg died away and was replaced with icy numbness. She sighed blissfully and murmured, "Thank you."

There was an awkward moment where he hovered above her. She was thinking of the last time both of them had been in this room, only a month ago. He had confessed…things that still confused her. It seemed he was thinking the same because their eyes met and held intensely. She wiggled to the side and quietly asked, "Will you sit beside me?"

He did not speak, but gingerly perched on the edge of the bed a moment later. She felt shaky and terrified, but she met his eyes once more and simply stared. His dark eyes roamed across her face in a slow motion before glancing toward her blanket-covered legs. He asked, "May I?"  
She said, "Yes."

Her throat was tight and her heart was hammering steadily as Severus uncovered her legs. She no longer wore her Quidditch gear, but a simple pair of black shorts. She had no idea where the Muggle article of clothing came from, but decided Hermione was the likely culprit. His long fingertips brushed across her injured leg. She couldn't see his face, but knew his gaze was focused on her bruised flesh.

Without looking, he dug into his robe pocket and pulled out a purple bottle. Sparingly, he added two drops of purple liquid to her leg and gently rubbed until her skin soaked up the moisture. Holly let out a soft sigh and relaxed fully on her mound of pillows. Severus's dark daze flickered to her face just once, but the way he looked at her caused air to catch in her lungs. She felt her chest rising and falling a bit faster than usual. His thumb swiped across her lower calf once more before he stood. He wiped his hands on his black pants and said, "I bid you goodnight…Holly."

He turned and began to walk away, head held high and with long strides. Holly swallowed, took a deep breath and called out, "Wait, please."

It seemed as if forever passed before Severus slowly turned on his heels and silently waited. Holly's throat was tight and dry, but she was determined to speak. Her heart was thrumming and her palms were sweaty as she said, "I really would like you to teach me the branch of Reversal Potions."

The silence stretched almost to her breaking point before he murmured, "As you wish. Meet me in my classroom tomorrow morning. Your leg will be healed by then."

* * *

 **AN:** _I know I have not stuck to posting dates, so I will not bother to give one. However, I will begin posting on a regular basis once more. No set dates, but no more long absences. To anyone who enjoyed this story, thank you. I am aware that there are faults and that this storyline could have been told in an even better manner. After reading numerous other Severus stories, particularly one I found under the rare gender-bent category, I felt as if I was not doing Severus and Holly justice. However, this journey with Love's Sacrifice has shown me that flaws are expected and should not be condemned, but accepted and learned from._


	47. Chapter 47

**AN:** _I hope you enjoy._

* * *

The next few weeks passed in a repeated pattern. Holly would spend Tuesday and Thursday evenings running drills and lectures on proper defense at D.A. meetings. Her Mondays and Wednesdays were fully dedicated to homework while her Friday evenings, after Potions class, were spent catching up on sleep she didn't get any other day. Saturdays quickly became her absolute favorite day of the week. She spent Saturday morning training for Quidditch while Saturday afternoon was entirely saved for her interactions with Severus. It was the third Saturday since her fateful Quidditch match and she was happily marching toward the dungeons. She forced herself not to outwardly smile as she passed several students in the corridors. Everyone believed Holly Potter was epically failing N.E.W.T level Potions and was being forced to attend Remedial Potions Lessons.

They were mostly right. She was nearly failing Potions and only Severus's private lessons were managing to aid her in slipping by with marks like Acceptable. Ron felt great sympathy every single time she left the common room to head into the bowels of the castle and Holly pretended to be reluctant about her lessons. She felt mildly guilty for lying to her friends, but knew that her feelings for Severus were to remain an absolute secret. It was bad enough that Hermione had figured out there was some sort of… _something_ going on with the Potions Master and Holly. What was going on with them? Holly wondered constantly. They had kissed, which was complicated enough. But there was a damn war and she was in the middle of it. Severus had saved her life because of this war more times than she likely knew about. What kind of man saved the life of a girl if he didn't care about her? Had they not talked and maintained interesting conversation? Had she not proven she liked him, despite his flaws? They had kissed. Had he not agreed to teach her last summer when he could have been relaxing on his time off during the holiday? Had he not continued to mend her wounds despite the fact that there was a resident Mediwitch available?

Severus gave her these intense looks, which a teacher would never give to just any student. She was sure of this because she had never seen Professor McGonagall's eyes linger on a student's lips before. Neither had Professor Flitwick run his fingers over Holly's leg or hug her tightly while carrying her to safety. Hagrid did not brush his fingers over her cheeks while healing injuries or angrily scream at her in such a personal way.

Severus had _kissed her._ That meant _something_ , right? She thought of this as Severus ran a quiet commentary on her brewing skills. Her mind wandered as she remembered that kiss. The only kiss that mattered. His kiss. It was perfect. It was insanely right. His hands had been everywhere. His lips had been soft and warm. The tip of his tongue had just traced her bottom lip and she remembered the irrational feeling that burst through her. It was the strongest and most addictive feeling she had ever felt. Yet it had been so fleeting. She had barely had time to register the feeling before he took it away again. She wanted to feel that way again and again. Not for the first time, she wondered if he wanted to feel like that too.

Curiously, she let her hand linger millimeters from his as they passed brewing ingredients. She focused intently on the next step of instructions before casually brushing her forearm against his. She immediately memorized the texture and length of his arm. He stepped away from her and came around to the front of the table. From there, he quietly instructed her as she went about stirring. She waited until she was sure the potion was simmering before looking up, meeting his gaze and saying, "It is really hot in here."

Severus raised an eyebrow and blandly said, "Potions are heating, Holly."

She rolled her eyes and gave a smile before slipping off the signature Hogwarts vest she wore. Underneath was a plain, white shirt. It was always a rule that cloaks and long sleeved robes were discarded as soon as one began to brew potions, so she tossed her vest in the same pile as her robes. Severus blinked, but said nothing. He turned to her table and began to expertly slice dung beetles. Holly gave a smile and casually commented, "That is loads better. Those vests are so hefty and warm."

Severus nodded while grinding his teeth together, but he did not speak. They continued preparing potions with Severus offering occasional biting comments. Holly was more than glad when the Heat Repealing Potion was completed. A faint sheen of sweat was covering both of them by the time they moved on to the next assignment. They were halfway through when Severus sighed hotly and came to stand behind her. He abruptly grabbed her wrist and sharply said, "I told you to cut slowly and at an acute angle."

She was too busy being thrilled that his hand was on her and his chest brushed her back. Twice. She purposely cut sloppily again. He snarled, "No. Like this."

His fingers wrapped around her wrist and he was squeezing just hard enough to control the amount of force she put forth when chopping. Lips pressed tightly together, she watched in delight as their connected hands continued to cut stingray liver into narrow slices. He ranted, "These are expensive ingredients and I cannot have you mucking all of it up with your recklessness."

There was a spark of irritation at his choice of words, but she was still too happy about his touch to worry about anger. She repeated in an amused voice, "Recklessness? Really?"

"Yes, _really."_ He responded in a quiet growl, "Rarely have I ever met such a stubborn, reckless, annoying, and foolishly brave girl."

Curiosity made her reach across and gently put her left hand on top of their connected right hands. His chopping stilled instantly and she swore she could feel the heat from his body due to how close he was. She dropped the knife just as he began to retreat, but her Quidditch-trained reflexes were useful. She whirled around and gently grabbed ahold of his wrist in the exact same way he had grabbed hers minutes before. She whispered, "You think I am brave?"

She couldn't see his eyes, but only a side view of his face. He was refusing to look at her and she could see the tense muscles in his angular jaw. He sharply replied, "Bravery is not always a positive quality."

Holly gave a soft smile and said, "I think it is."

He snorted and the sound was full of bitterness. Somehow the bitterness disappeared and his words only sounded sad as he spoke, "Bravery leads to death."

Holly frowned before slowly saying, "It can, yes…"

He tried to tug his wrist out of her grip, but she held steady. His voice was abruptly cold as he hissed, "Kindly let go of me, Miss Potter."

She held tighter and grumbled, "I really thought we were to the point that you would call me by my actual name from now on."

He stopped trying to tug away from her and just stared anywhere but at her. She felt confused and hurt as tears began to burn her eyes. Her voice broke as she said, "Look at me, please."

Several seconds went by before his dark gaze slowly roamed across her face and settled on her eyes. She thought she saw a flash of regret, but she darkly decided she was only being wishful. They stared at one another before she broke eye contact and mumbled, "I thought we were…uh…past all this fighting?"

His eyebrows rose and he dryly said, "I do not recall having that thought."

Holly bit her bottom lip and gazed at him, trying so hard to put all her unspeakable thoughts into a single look. She tried not to blink, in hopes that Severus would use his formidable mind magic to peer into her head. She ran her hand up from his wrist to the crease in his elbow. His arm was covered by thick cloth, but she could still feel the warmth of his skin.

When he gave no negative reaction, she stepped forward until they were less than half an inch from touching, body to body. She wasn't sure how or when it happened, but the air seemed thicker and charged with some type of energy. Her heart picked up, thumping just a bit quicker, as if it was trying to reach out and touch the vibrant feeling in the air. Carefully, and so slowly, she reached up and touched his jaw with one soft fingertip. His eyes never blinked and his body stayed rigid. She continued to sink willfully into that dark abyss. She trailed her finger across his jawline, marveling at the slightly rough texture of his skin. How could skin feel so rough when it looked so smooth?

Cupping the right side of his face as softly as possible, she rubbed her thumb over his chin and felt the slightest indention. Delighted, she rubbed his chin once more and gave a small smile. How had she never noticed the dimple in his chin after all the times she had greedily tried to memorize his facial features?

Feeling braver at his lack of anger, Holly leaned forward on the tips of her toes and softly touched her chest to his own. They had quite a height difference, with Severus towering over a foot taller than her, but she was toe-to-toe with him. Toe-to-toe and chest-to-chest. She couldn't hear it, but she saw as his lips parted and he inhaled sharply. She could feel his heart thumping and the incredible warmth beneath his thick shirt. She was surrounded by the smell of ocean and crisp forest. His body was so tense and she feared that he would push her away. He would tear her apart as he had done countless times before.

But he didn't. Instead, his wide palms and long fingers ran up the length of her sides. She tried to keep her eyes open wide, to attempt to decipher his expressionless face, but her eyes fell closed against her will. She shivered as his fingers gently caressed her upper back. As if her body was not her own, she shivered again and tucked her head against his chest as his expert fingers massaged her shoulders. The feeling was incredible and her own tense muscles slowly loosened until his touch turned very gentle once more. Curled against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, Holly kept her eyes shut and let herself go.

Severus's fingertips danced across the nape of her neck and caused goose flesh to break out across her entire body. She hummed under her breath and tentatively traced patterns across his clothed chest with her fingers. Holly rubbed her cheek across his chest until she was resting in the crook of his shoulder. She breathed in and out, steadily and peacefully. His fingers continued to move across her neck and through her hair like a musician would against the ivory keys of a piano.

Fascinated, she opened her eyes and greedily took in the vision before her. The skin of his neck was hauntingly beautiful. Pale and smooth. Muscles moved just beneath the surface. Terrified and enchanted, she brought her lips just a few inches closer to his neck, breathing softly. She saw and felt his body stiffen once more in stress. His fingers hesitated, clutching at her hair just a moment before he relaxed and continued. Heart pounding in her chest, unbelieving of her fortunate luck, Holly leaned forward and laid her lips to the spot just above his collarbone.

The peaceful spell was broken and the air no longer felt charged with a fluttering sensation. She trailed her lips across his neck, soft and as light as the wings of a butterfly. She was excited now, realizing exactly where and what she wanted to do. She left a small and innocent kiss on the side of his jaw before trailing upward. Severus was motionless now with his hand bunched tightly in Holly's hair. It didn't hurt, but the gentle touch was long gone. She could feel the steadiness of his heartbeat, but his breathing was becoming harsher.

There was a pause as her lips hovered above his. A pause in which he could have ripped away from her. A pause that gave both of them amble time to turn and walk away from each other. A pause that left after a moment. Their breath mingled in the inches between them. She opened her eyes and met black fire. Eyes more alive than she had ever seen. Gone was the cold man who kept his distance from everyone. Gone was the anger and bitterness. This man was full of so much that she was stunned. Then, an erupting epiphany hit her in the heart. _She_ was the reason he was alive. _Her touch_ was the reason the bitterness seemed to disappear.

Letting out a little gasp, she brushed her lips against his. Electricity surged throughout her body. It was so fast that she couldn't tell which direction it came from, but the sensation was raging through her. Their lips pressed together again, but this time was unlike the first. It was heavier. It was raw. Heated. She felt him splay one hand against her back while he flung the other one outward with a wave of magic. She heard a door slam shut. His lips never left hers. Instead, they moved restlessly. Pushing and demanding and overwhelmingly wonderful.

She heard another slamming sound as he ripped his lips away for less than two seconds. He called out an incantation in a rough, raspy voice before his mouth was against hers once more. Too caught up to notice what he had said, she pulled on the fabric of his shirt. Her mind was in a scramble. She couldn't think. Couldn't think. All she knew was that he had to be closer. Had to be closer or she would explode.

He growled deeply from his chest and it was a sound that was both indescribable and completely perfect. He was pushing against her and she was surprised at his heavy weight, but instinct had her pushing back. Their bodies were so tightly pressed together that it was unlikely that they could get much closer, but logic was gone. Closer. Closer. Closer. Holly felt her heart beating against her ribcage in an attempt to jump out. She was sucking in gasping breaths, mindlessly pulling on his shirt. His lips had been trailing down her neck, planting wet and hot kisses.

Now, he was back and snatched her breath away again. Lips moved in ways that made her body tremble. His lips slowed from their frantic pace until his tongue touched her swollen bottom lip. A soft sound of pleasure and surprise left her. She immediately noticed how his hold on her tightened the second she let out a single sound. Nervous, but still dazed, she let her lips part slightly.

She was thrown back into a mindless wildfire. Gasping, she began to copy his movements. Her leg slipped between his and, had she been in control of herself, she would have blushed at what she felt underneath his thick robes. But she had no time to _think_ because he was taking up every single space in her mind. Fingers tangled in hair and the only sound to be heard while they moved against one another were gasps and groans.

It felt like an hour and only five seconds had gone by when Severus began to bring the pace to a halt. As her mind came back to her in flashes and slow pulls, she found herself laying on a nearby tabletop with her legs wrapped tightly around Severus's waist. Deciding not to be too embarrassed, she pushed herself up on shaky elbows. Her legs stayed wrapped around his waist as he stood, hovering above her. Both were still breathing harshly. His face was blushed with tinges of pink along his high cheekbones. She thought he looked endearing, but didn't think Severus would like being deemed with such a feminine word.

Her eyes felt heavy as she gazed into his face. His dark eyes blinked open slowly and she adored the heady look still lingering in his expression. She felt satisfaction curl inside her stomach. This was the cold and expressionless Potions Master, yet he looked flushed and wildly alive because of her. She watched with a resigned sigh as those dark eyes slowly began to change. The fire burned out and was shuddered away, only to be replaced with ice.

"Don't say this was wrong." She warned. Her voice and body shook as she let her legs drop from around his waist. Her heart felt as unsteady as the rest of her. Severus took a step back and she slipped from the top of the table. She began to gather her supplies while her mind ran with a million words she could say. She settled for saying, "You told me…that you cared. If you want me to trust your word, you can't say what you don't mean."

She turned to him while slinging her satchel onto her shoulder. She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes. She waited and waited until he spoke.

"I shouldn't have you."

The silence stretched on and Holly mentally counted her heartbeats until Severus whispered, "But I am a man of my word, Holly. Believe that if nothing else."

Trembling, she stood on the tips of her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. He gave her the barest response, but neither did he push her away. Severus flung his hand toward the door and it popped open once more. They stared silently at each other for a long time before Holly turned and left the classroom.

* * *

 **AN:** _Let me just say…I do not condone teacher-student relationships for the simple reason that one is in the position of power while the other is inferior in power. That can lead to extremely immoral decisions based on the imbalance. Age difference is not as huge of a deal to me. My own age gap with my fiancé is seven years. That caused all kinds of problems when I was in school, but I did not care. Do I think a sixteen-year-old should be having sexual relations with a person over the age of thirty? No. At sixteen, emotions and hormones are overwhelmingly unsettled. However, this is a work of fiction and I truly believe that in times of war…a kid who is destined to die does not have to follow the same guidelines as everyone else._


End file.
